 Expo Hall in 2025 | |
  Expo Hall Location in Florida Show map of Florida Expo Hall Location in the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Former names | Tampa Fairgrounds Arena (1977–83) |
|---|---|
| Address | 4800 US Highway 301 North |
| Location | East Lake-Orient Park, Florida |
| Coordinates | 27°59′26″N82°21′45″W / 27.99056°N 82.36250°W /27.99056; -82.36250 |
| Owner | Florida State Fair Authority[1] |
| Operator | Florida State Fair Authority |
| Capacity | Indoor soccer: 9,200 Ice hockey: 10,425 Concerts: 11,926 |
| Field size | 88,000 sq ft (8,200 m2) |
| Opened | 1977[2] |
| Tenants | |
| South Florida Bulls men's basketball (1979–1980) Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) (1984) Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) (1992–1993) Tampa Bay Tritons (RHI) (1994) | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Expo Hall is anindoor arena located at theFlorida State Fairgrounds inEast Lake-Orient Park, Florida. It is used primarily as an exhibition hall during theFlorida State Fair, but has also hosted concerts and sporting events.
TheSouth Florida Bulls men's basketball team used Expo Hall as their main home arena for the 1979–80 season before the on-campusUSF Sun Dome opened.
TheTampa Bay Rowdies of the defunctNorth American Soccer League used Expo Hall for 8 of their 16 home games during the1983–84 indoor season. At that time the arena's capacity was 9,200.[3] This would also prove to be the league's final indoor campaign before suspending operations following the 1984 outdoor season.[4]
The arena was more famously used by theNational Hockey League'sTampa Bay Lightning during the team's inaugural season of1992–93. The facility'sseating capacity of 10,425 proved too small for the Lightning, and the team relocated to theThunderDome inSt. Petersburg for three seasons, until its permanent home,Amalie Arena, was built in downtown Tampa.
In 1994 the expansionTampa Bay Tritons ofRoller Hockey International played for one season at Expo Hall before folding.Mark Messier owned the club.[5]
The facility currently[when?] hosts graduation ceremonies for Hillsborough County's public high schools.
Noteworthy entertainers to perform in concert at Expo Hall includeRobert Plant,REO Speedwagon,Cheap Trick,No Doubt,Green Day,Nine Inch Nails,Peter Frampton,Stone Temple Pilots,Yes,George Michael,Santana,Beastie Boys,Alabama,Motörhead, andthe Smashing Pumpkins.[6]
| Preceded by first arena | Home of the Tampa Bay Lightning 1992 – 1993 | Succeeded by |
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