Miami Arena being demolished, view from the west, taken September 24, 2008. The west wall was the last to fall, October 21, 2008.
Completed in 1988 at a cost of$52.5 million, its opening took business away from theHollywood Sportatorium and eventually led to that venue's demolition. The arena was the home of theMiami Heat from 1988 to 1999, theFlorida Panthers from 1993 to 1998, theUniversity of Miami basketball teams from 1988 to 2003, theMiami Hooters of theArena Football League from 1993 to 1995, theMiami Matadors of theECHL in 1998 and theMiami Manatees of the WHA2 in 2003. The first game played by the Heat in their first home was a loss to theLos Angeles Clippers, 111–91, on November 5, 1988; the first victory came a month and a half later against theUtah Jazz, 101–80.
By 1998, the Miami Arena, like most indoor sports arenas built in the late 1980s, was beginning to show its age, despite being only 10 years old. Itsseating capacity was one of the lowest of any NBA or NHL arena. In addition, sports teams in general began wanting newer, more updated facilities, specifically luxury suites and new concessions. In 1998, the Panthers moved into the National Car Rental Center (nowAmerant Bank Arena) inSunrise, near Florida's largest outlet mall,Sawgrass Mills. On January 2, 2000, the Heat moved to the new American Airlines Arena (nowKaseya Center) located three blocks east of Miami Arena on the shore of Biscayne Bay.
After the year 2000, the arena became mostly inactive, as most of the concerts that were held at Miami Arena moved to the newer venues. However, theMiami Manatees of theWHA2 played at the Miami Arena in 2003, and theMiami Moraysindoor football from 2005 to 2006.
The arena was easily accessible via mass transit, with aMetrorail stop atHistoric Overtown/Lyric Theatre station just across the street (once known as Overtown/Arena station). Miami-Dade city buses also service the arena area downtown. Miami Arena was sometimes called the "Pink Elephant", because it was awhite elephant with pink colored walls.
In 2004, the arena was sold in apublic auction to Glenn Straub, an investor fromPalm Beach County, for half of the price the city of Miami paid for its original construction. On August 3, 2008, Straub announced in a television interview that the interior of the arena had been cleared out and that the building would be demolished by the end of the month. On September 21, 2008, the roof of the Miami Arena was imploded. While the exterior walls remained standing after the implosion, demolition continued until the falling of the west wall on October 21, 2008. A parking lot now exists where the arena used to stand.
Sting – February 27, 1991 and February 23, 1994, with Melissa Etheridge
Gloria Estefan – March 1–2 and 6–7, 1991 and September 20–22 and 24, 1996 (Sept 20–21 gigs were filmed live on HBO Telecast, also released on VHS/DVD asThe Evolution Tour: Live in Miami)
The1996 Stanley Cup Finals – June 8 and 10–11 (Florida Panthers vs. Colorado Avalanche) This was the first appearance the Panthers made in the Stanley Cup Finals. They were swept by the Avalanche 4-0.
Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre
