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 Amalie Arena in November 2016 | |
  Amalie Arena Location in Florida Show map of Florida Amalie Arena Location in the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Former names | Ice Palace(1996–2002) St. Pete Times Forum(2002–2012) Tampa Bay Times Forum(2012–2014) |
|---|---|
| Address | 401 Channelside Drive |
| Location | Tampa, Florida, United States |
| Coordinates | 27°56′34″N82°27′7″W / 27.94278°N 82.45194°W /27.94278; -82.45194 |
| Public transit |  TECO StreetcaratAmalie Arena |
| Owner | Hillsborough County, Florida |
| Operator | Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties, LLC, a division ofVinik 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 ($295 million in 2024 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 asAMALIE Arena) is a multipurpose arena inTampa, Florida, United States, that has been used forice hockey,basketball,arena football, concerts, and other events. It is mainly used as the home for theTampa Bay Lightning of theNational Hockey League.
The building opened in 1996 and was originally known as theIce Palace. In August 2002, the building'snaming rights were sold to theSt. Petersburg Times, which became theTampa Bay Times in January 2012; accordingly, the arena was known as theSt. Pete Times Forum (2002–2012) andTampa Bay Times Forum (2012–2014). In September 2014, the arena was renamed Amalie Arena when the naming rights were transferred toAmalie Oil Company.[8]
The venue, located in Downtown Tampa'sChannelside 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 nearTampa 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 theRoyal Hanneford Circus.[10] The first hockey game was the Lightning hosting theNew 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 theTampa Bay Area. The largest existing arenas in the region that were best shaped for hockey wereBayfront Arena in St. Petersburg, theExpo Hall at theFlorida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, and theUSF Sun Dome on the campus of theUniversity 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 theFlorida Suncoast Dome, which was renamed the "Thunderdome", inSt. Petersburg in 1993.[13] The Thunderdome, now Tropicana Field, is currently home toMajor League Baseball'sTampa Bay Rays.[14]
The arena is owned byHillsborough 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 thenSt. Petersburg Times, the largest local newspaper in theTampa Bay area. Other entertainment events occasionally held in the Forum include concerts,NBA exhibition games,USF basketball andNCAA men's andwomen's basketball tournament games,NCAA Frozen Four games,tennis,professional wrestling,boxing,figure skating, androdeos (as well as stand-alonebull riding events; the Forum has hosted an event by thePBR's premier tour, theBuilt 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 the2012 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 digitaltheatre 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 withAmalie 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 125hydroponic towers.[22]
As home of theTampa Bay Lightning, Amalie Arena has hosted games in theStanley Cup Finals, hosting games one, two, five, and seven of the2004 Stanley Cup Finals, where the Lightning defeated theCalgary Flames four games to three to win their first Stanley Cup. During the2015 Stanley Cup Finals against theChicago 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 the2021 Stanley Cup Finals, where the Lightning defeated theMontreal 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 the2022 Stanley Cup Finals were also held at Amalie Arena; theColorado 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 the2020 Stanley Cup Finals as all games were heldbehind closed doors atEdmonton'sRogers Place due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. However, the eventual champion Lightning (who defeated theDallas Stars in six games) did hold watch parties outside the arena for select season ticket holders. In addition, Amalie Arena has hosted theNational Hockey League All-Star Game twice, in 1999 and in 2018.
In college basketball, the arena is a regular host for games in both theNCAA Division I men's basketball tournament andNCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. The arena has hosted first and second-round games for the men's tournament in2003,2008, and2011 (it was scheduled to host games again in2020, 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 the2008,2015, and2019 tournaments. The arena has also hosted conference tournaments, hosting the2007 ACC men's basketball tournament and the2009 and2022 SEC Men's Basketball Tournaments.[25] The arena was also the main home of theSouth Florida Bulls men's basketball team for their 2011–12 season while theUSF 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 theTampa Bay Storm of theArena Football League, it hosted the league's championship game, known as theArenaBowl, on two occasions,ArenaBowl XII in 1998 andArenaBowl XVII in 2003.[citation needed]
Amalie Arena hosted theNCAA 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 theOrlando Magic andMiami 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 theirshootaround. 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 the2020–21 NBA season, theToronto Raptors played their home games in Amalie Arena due to travel restrictions imposed by the Canadian government in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic in Canada.[29]
TheFrozen Four of the2012 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was held in the arena, hosted by theUniversity 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 theUniversity of Alaska Anchorage hosted the event at theArrowhead Pond of Anaheim inAnaheim, California.Boston College won the national championship game 4–1 againstFerris State. Amalie Arena again hosted the Frozen Four in2016 and2023.[30]
The arena held its firstUFC event on April 16, 2016, forUFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans.[31] The UFC returned to the arena forUFC Fight Night: Joanna vs. Waterson on October 12, 2019.[32] The UFC returned again forUFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Buckley on December 14, 2024.[33]
On December 18, 2021, Amalie Arena hosted theJake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley II boxingpay-per-view event. Paul won viaknockout in round 6.[34] The arena also hosted theJake Paul vs. Mike Perry boxing event on pay-per-view. Paul won via knockout in round 6.[35]
It has also held theWorld Wrestling Federation (now renamed to WWE) pay-per-view eventSurvivor Series (2000), as well asExtreme Rules (2011) andBattleground (2014). Tampa hostedWrestleMania 37 in 2021 but the arena was not involved in the festivities surrounding the event, as all weekly WWE events took place in abio-secure bubble with zero ticketed fans in attendance called theWWE ThunderDome at the time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WrestleMania 37 itself was held atRaymond James Stadium in front of a reduced capacity audience over the course of two nights.[36]
On July 20, 2024, Amalie Arena hosted theJake Paul vs. Mike Perry boxingpay-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]
Britishalternative rock bandColdplay performed a concert at the venue on June 28, 2012, as part of theirMylo Xyloto Tour.[37][38]
The arena hostedMonster 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.[39]
The arena hosted AMSOIL Arenacross from 2015 to 2017. The arena hosted the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions in 2016.[40]
Carrie Underwood has performed in the venue multiple times with her first headlining concert on October 25, 2010, during herPlay On Tour. Her latest performance was a sold-out crowd on February 4, 2023, during herDenim & Rhinestones Tour.
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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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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