Former names | Ice Palace (1996–2002) St. Pete Times Forum (2002–2012) Tampa Bay Times Forum (2012–2014) |
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Address | 401 Channelside Drive |
Location | Tampa, Florida, United States |
Coordinates | 27°56′34″N82°27′7″W / 27.94278°N 82.45194°W |
Public transit | TECO Streetcar at Amalie Arena |
Owner | Hillsborough County, Florida |
Operator | Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties, LLC, a division of Vinik Sports Group, LLC [1] [ circular reference ] |
Capacity | Ice hockey: 19,092 [2] Basketball: 20,500 Concert: 21,500 Arena football: 18,500 |
Construction | |
Broke ground | April 14, 1994 [3] |
Opened | October 20, 1996 |
Construction cost | US$139 million ($286 million in 2023 dollars [4] ) |
Architect | Ellerbe Becket [5] |
Structural engineer | Walter P Moore [6] |
General contractor | Hunt/Morse Diesel [7] |
Tenants | |
Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) (1996–present) Tampa Bay Storm (AFL) (1997–2017) South Florida Bulls (NCAA) (2011–2012) Tampa Breeze (LFL) (2009–2012) Toronto Raptors (NBA) (2020–2021) | |
Website | |
amaliearena |
Amalie Arena (officially stylized as AMALIE Arena) is a multipurpose arena in Tampa, Florida, United States, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, arena football, concerts, and other events. It is mainly used as the home for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League.
The building opened in 1996 and was originally known as the Ice Palace. In August 2002, the building's naming rights were sold to the St. Petersburg Times , which became the Tampa Bay Times in January 2012; accordingly, the arena was known as the St. Pete Times Forum (2002–2012) and Tampa Bay Times Forum (2012–2014). In September 2014, the arena was renamed Amalie Arena when the naming rights were transferred to Amalie Oil Company. [8]
The venue, located in Downtown Tampa's Channelside District, was a secondary location chosen after the failure of Tampa Coliseum Inc. to secure funding to construct an arena on Tampa Sports Authority land near Tampa Stadium. The city of Tampa paid $86 million and the Tampa Bay Lightning paid $53 million for the venue's construction and infrastructure. [9] It opened in 1996 as the Ice Palace. Its first event was a performance by the Royal Hanneford Circus. [10] The first hockey game was the Lightning hosting the New York Rangers, which the Lightning won 5–2. [11]
The arena, built as a new home for the Lightning, was necessary because of the lack of a major league-sized arena in the Tampa Bay Area. The largest existing arenas in the region that were best shaped for hockey were Bayfront Arena in St. Petersburg, the Expo Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, and the USF Sun Dome on the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa. However, all of these were either too small for an NHL team to use long term, as their capacities were only 5,800 for Bayfront Arena and 10,425 for the Expo Hall, or would need to undergo extensive renovations to make space for hockey in the case of the Sun Dome (which after renovations would then only have an estimated capacity in the mid-7,000s for hockey, making it too small as well). Prior to the opening of the Ice Palace, the Lightning spent one season at the Expo Hall, [12] and then moved to the Florida Suncoast Dome, which was renamed the "Thunderdome", in St. Petersburg in 1993. [13] The Thunderdome, now Tropicana Field, is currently home to Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays. [14]
The arena is owned by Hillsborough County and leased to the Tampa Sports Authority. [15] [16] The authority leases the arena back to the Lightning, who operate it. The current lease agreement ties the arena to the Lightning ownership.[ citation needed ]
Naming rights to the arena were sold to the then St. Petersburg Times , the largest local newspaper in the Tampa Bay area. Other entertainment events occasionally held in the Forum include concerts, NBA exhibition games, USF basketball and NCAA men's and women's basketball tournament games, NCAA Frozen Four games, tennis, professional wrestling, boxing, figure skating, and rodeos (as well as stand-alone bull riding events; the Forum has hosted an event by the PBR's premier tour, the Built Ford Tough Series, annually since 1998).[ citation needed ]
In 2010, the Tampa Bay Times Forum was ranked as the fourth busiest arena in the United States. [17]
A $35 million renovation was scheduled to be completed before the 2012 Republican National Convention. [18] The renovation included a rebuilt grand plaza entrance, elimination of 2 lower-level suites in each corner (8 of current 28 suites) leaving views from the concourse area to the playing area, renovation of each suite, elimination of sections 323 and 324 on the terrace level (574 seats) for a bar and stage area that will feature a new digital theatre organ, more concessions areas on the terrace level, an 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m2) outdoor deck and party area overlooking outside plaza and facing the downtown skyline, new climate controls that improve both the ice surface and spectator comfort, new lighting, all new padded seats, resurfaced and redecorated concourse, combining Icons and Medallions restaurants into one venue, and updated restrooms. [18]
Also in 2012, the Tampa Bay Times Forum installed a new video display board. The board is billed as the largest of its kind in North America. Its two larger faces measure 28 × 50 feet (8.5 × 15.2 m), while its two smaller faces are 28 × 20 feet (8.5 × 6.1 m). In comparison, the arena's old display board measured 16 × 28 feet (4.9 × 8.5 m) on all sides. [19]
On September 3, 2014, Lightning owner Jeff Vinik announced the renaming of the Forum to Amalie Arena after coming to an agreement with Amalie Oil Company, a motor oil company based in Tampa. [20] [21]
Also in late 2014, the arena debuted its 1-acre organic vegetable garden to help feed players and fans. Utilizing an outside area in the back devoted to cooling pipes and recycling bins, a deck was built along with 125 hydroponic towers. [22]
As home of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Amalie Arena has hosted games in the Stanley Cup Finals, hosting games one, two, five, and seven of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, where the Lightning defeated the Calgary Flames four games to three to win their first Stanley Cup. During the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks, the arena was the site of games one, two, and five. Amalie Arena was also the site of games one, two, and five of the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals, where the Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens four games to one to win their third Stanley Cup. [23]
In the 2004 and 2021 Finals, the Lightning clinched the Stanley Cup on home ice at Amalie Arena. Games 3, 4 and 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals were also held at Amalie Arena; the Colorado Avalanche became the first visiting team to hoist the Stanley Cup at the arena after defeating the Lightning four games to two. [24] It did not host the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals as all games were held behind closed doors at Edmonton's Rogers Place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the eventual champion Lightning (who defeated the Dallas Stars in six games) did hold watch parties outside the arena for select season ticket holders. In addition, Amalie Arena has hosted the National Hockey League All-Star Game twice, in 1999 and in 2018.
In college basketball, the arena is a regular host for games in both the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. The arena has hosted first and second-round games for the men's tournament in 2003, 2008, and 2011 (it was scheduled to host games again in 2020, only to have the tournament cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). In the women's tournament, Amalie Arena has hosted the Final Four of the 2008, 2015, and 2019 tournaments. The arena has also hosted conference tournaments, hosting the 2007 ACC men's basketball tournament and the 2009 and 2022 SEC Men's Basketball Tournaments. [25] The arena was also the main home of the South Florida Bulls men's basketball team for their 2011–12 season while the USF Sun Dome underwent extensive renovations. [26]
Amalie Arena is scheduled to host the 2025 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Final Four and 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball first and second rounds. [27]
During the arena's time as home of the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League, it hosted the league's championship game, known as the ArenaBowl, on two occasions, ArenaBowl XII in 1998 and ArenaBowl XVII in 2003.[ citation needed ]
Amalie Arena hosted the NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament Final Four in the 2009 and 2023 tournaments.
The arena was slated to host an NBA preseason game in 2010 between the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, the league's two Florida teams. However, months before the game, the arena's basketball floor was treated with an oil-based cleaning solution that resulted in a slippery film forming on it. According to Magic players, the floor was so slippery that they had to walk through their shootaround. When it became apparent that there was no way to make the court playable, the game was canceled half an hour before the scheduled tipoff. All fans received a full refund. [28]
For the 2020–21 NBA season, the Toronto Raptors played their home games in Amalie Arena due to travel restrictions imposed by the Canadian government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. [29]
The Frozen Four of the 2012 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was held in the arena, hosted by the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the nearest collegiate hockey team to Florida. This was the first time the Frozen Four was held outside the northern US since 1999, when the University of Alaska Anchorage hosted the event at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim in Anaheim, California. Boston College won the national championship game 4–1 against Ferris State. Amalie Arena again hosted the Frozen Four in 2016 and 2023. [30]
The arena held its first UFC event on April 16, 2016, for UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans. [31] The UFC returned to the arena for UFC Fight Night: Joanna vs. Waterson on October 12, 2019. [32]
On December 18, 2021, Amalie Arena hosted the Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley II boxing pay-per-view event. Paul won via KO in round 6. [33]
It has also held the World Wrestling Federation (now renamed to WWE) pay-per-view event Survivor Series (2000), as well as Extreme Rules (2011) and Battleground (2014). Tampa hosted WrestleMania 37 in 2021 but the arena was not involved in the festivities surrounding the event, as all weekly WWE events took place in a bio-secure bubble with zero ticketed fans in attendance called the WWE ThunderDome at the time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WrestleMania 37 itself was held at Raymond James Stadium in front of a reduced capacity audience over the course of two nights. [34]
On July 20, 2024, Amalie Arena hosted the Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry boxing pay-per-view event. Paul won via knockout in round 6.
James Taylor has performed at Amalie Arena several times. In 2010 he performed with Carole King during the 2010 Troubadour World Reunion Tour and he has also performed with his band at Amalie Arena in 1997, 2001, 2003, 2014, 2018 and 2021 - Jackson Browne and his band opened the 2021 appearance.[ citation needed ]
British alternative rock band Coldplay performed a concert at the venue on June 28, 2012, as part of their Mylo Xyloto Tour. [35] [36]
The arena hosted Monster Jam from 2017 to 2019. The event came back to the arena in 2023.[ citation needed ]
Marvel Universe Live! kicked off its national tour at Amalie Arena on July 10, 2014. [37]
The arena hosted AMSOIL Arenacross from 2015 to 2017. The arena hosted the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions in 2016. [38]
Carrie Underwood has performed in the venue multiple times with her first headlining concert on October 25, 2010, during her Play On Tour. Her latest performance was a sold-out crowd on February 4, 2023, during her Denim & Rhinestones Tour.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play their home games at Amalie Arena in Downtown Tampa.
Tampa is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the county seat of Hillsborough County. With an estimated population of 403,364 in 2023, Tampa is the 49th-most populous city in the country and the third-most populous city in Florida after Jacksonville and Miami.
Bell Centre formerly known as Molson Centre, is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), replacing the Montreal Forum. It is owned by the Molson family via the team's ownership group Groupe CH, and managed via Groupe CH subsidiary Evenko.
The American Airlines Center (AAC) is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the Victory Park neighborhood in downtown Dallas, Texas. The arena serves as the home of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League and Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. The arena is also used for concerts and other live entertainment. It opened on July 17, 2001, at a cost of $420 million.
Martin St. Louis is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). An undrafted player, St. Louis played a total of 1,134 games, scoring 391 goals and 1,033 points in an NHL career that began with the Calgary Flames in 1998 and ended with the New York Rangers in 2015. He is best remembered for having played with the Tampa Bay Lightning and was a member of the Lightning's 2004 Stanley Cup championship team. St. Louis also briefly played with HC Lausanne of the Swiss National League A. He was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018; his first year of eligibility. St. Louis is widely considered one of the best undrafted players of all time.
TD Garden is a multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is located directly above the MBTA's North Station, and replaced the original Boston Garden upon opening in 1995. It is the most visited sports and entertainment arena in New England, as nearly 3.5 million people visit the arena each year.
The Tampa Bay area is a major metropolitan area surrounding Tampa Bay on the Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States. It includes the main cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. It is the 17th-largest metropolitan area in the United States, with a population of 3,175,275 as of the 2020 U.S. Census.
Expo Hall is an indoor arena located at the Florida State Fairgrounds in East Lake-Orient Park, Florida. It is used primarily as an exhibition hall during the Florida State Fair, but has also hosted concerts and sporting events.
Yuengling Center is an indoor arena on the main campus of the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, Florida. Construction began in November 1977, and it opened in November 1980. It is located in USF's Athletics District on the southeast side of campus, and is home to the South Florida Bulls men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams, as well as USF's commencement ceremonies and other school and local events. With 10,500 seats, it is the third-largest basketball arena by capacity in the American Athletic Conference.
Prudential Center is a multipurpose indoor arena in the central business district of Newark, New Jersey, United States. Opened in 2007, it is the home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), and the New York Sirens of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). By 2023, it was among the top five concert venues worldwide by earnings. The arena is owned by Josh Harris and David Blitzer and operated through Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment.
The Ice Sports Forum is the official practice facility of the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning, who won the Stanley Cup in 2004, 2020, 2021. The facility contains two NHL regulation rinks and a state-of-the-art laser tag arena. It is located in Brandon, Florida. The ISF opened in the fall of 1997.
The Tampa Bay area is home to many sports teams and has a substantial history of sporting activity. Most of the region's professional sports franchises use the name "Tampa Bay", which is the name of a body of water, not of any city. This is to emphasize that they represent the wider metropolitan area and not a particular municipality and was a tradition started by Tampa's first major sports team, the original Tampa Bay Rowdies, when they were founded in 1975.
The U.S. state of Florida has three National Football League teams, two Major League Baseball teams, two National Basketball Association teams, two National Hockey League teams, two Major League Soccer teams and 13 NCAA Division I college teams.
Torey Krug is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Krug previously played for the Boston Bruins from 2012 to 2020.
Jonathan D. Cooper is a Canadian–American professional ice hockey coach who is the head coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Cooper won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021 and also reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2015 and 2022 as the Lightning head coach, and as of the 2023–24 season, is the longest-tenured head coach in the NHL.
The 2016 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament was the national championship tournament for men's college ice hockey in the United States in 2016. The tournament involved 16 teams in single-elimination play to determine the national champion at the Division I level of the NCAA, the highest level of competition in college hockey. The tournament's Frozen Four – the semifinals and finals – were hosted by the University of Wisconsin and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
Carter Verhaeghe is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the third round, 82nd overall in the 2013 NHL entry draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played for the minor league affiliates of the Maple Leafs and New York Islanders, but did not play in the NHL until being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Verhaeghe won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Lightning in 2020, after which he signed as a free agent with the Panthers. Verhaeghe won a second Stanley Cup with Florida in 2024, becoming the first player to win a Stanley Cup with both teams from the state of Florida.
Alexander Vladimirovich Volkov is a Russian professional ice hockey winger for HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Volkov won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Lightning in 2020.
The University of South Florida athletic facilities are the stadiums and arenas the South Florida Bulls use for their home games and training. The University of South Florida currently sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and has 11 facilities in the designated Athletics District on or adjacent to its Tampa campus, one on its St. Petersburg campus, and one elsewhere in Tampa. 18 of the 19 teams have some sort of facility in the USF Athletics District.
A bio-secure bubble, also known as a bubble, or hub city, was a hosting arrangement for sporting events that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, under which events were held at a centralized site, often behind closed doors, with strict quarantine and safety protocols in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. A bubble was established for a single sports season, tournament, or for an ongoing series of events, allowing them to still be held and made available to broadcast audiences.
December 30, 2004 - Tampa Sports Authority conveys ownership of the now Amalie Arena to Hillsborough County.
The Forum was built in 1996 by the Tampa Bay Sports Authority, which was created as a public agency in 1965 for the purpose of "planning, developing and maintaining a comprehensive complex of sports and recreational facilities" in the area. According to the Authority's 2011 financial statements, the Forum is actually owned by Hillsborough County, which then leases it back to the Authority.
Events and tenants | ||
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Preceded by | Home of the Tampa Bay Lightning 1996 – present | Succeeded by current |
Preceded by | Home of the Tampa Bay Storm 1997 – 2017 | Succeeded by Ceased operations |
Preceded by | Host of the NHL All-Star Game 1999 2018 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Host of the Frozen Four 2012 2016 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | NCAA Women's Division I basketball tournament finals venue 2008 2015 2019 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Home of the Toronto Raptors 2020– 2021 | Succeeded by Scotiabank Arena |