Amalie Arena
LOCATION: 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL 33602
ARCHITECT: Ellerbe Becket
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Walter P. Moore
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Hunt/Morse Diesel
BUILT: 1994 broke ground, opened October 20, 1996
SIZE: 670,000-square-foot
ORIGINAL FUNCTION: Sporting Events varying from Basketball to Hockey
PHOTO CREDITS: Michel Curi
From 2011-2013, AMALIE Arena had more than $62 million in improvements that have clearly revolutionized the industry and made it the premier entertainment venue in the state of Florida.
With a wide array of venues spread throughout the United States, it can be difficult to find one that distinguishes itself from the others. That is not the case with the renovated AMALIE Arena, Florida’s premier entertainment venue and home of the three-time Stanley Cup champions, Tampa Bay Lightning.
Boasting unique features like lightning-throwing Tesla coils, the 11,000 square-foot Budweiser Biergarten with incredible views of the city and a massive five-manual, 105-rank digital pipe organ, AMALIE Arena consistently ranks among the very best venues in the United States. The best part? This is only the beginning.
A new era in Tampa Bay has arrived and it’s time you be a part of it. Our owners are committed to providing fans with a world-class experience at every game, concert and event.
History
The doors to the 670,000-square-foot AMALIE Arena (originally called the Ice Palace) first opened on October 12, 1996 with its first event, the Royal Hanneford Circus. The Circus was followed shortly thereafter by the first Lightning game played on October 20, 1996. The Lightning won 5-2 over the New York Rangers.
The arena has hosted numerous high-profile events including the 1999 NHL All-Star Game, the 2007 ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, the 2008 NCAA Women’s Final Four, the 2009 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, the 2012 Republican National Convention, the 2012 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four and more.
In 2002, the building was renamed from the Ice Palace to the St. Pete Times Forum as part of a new partnership with the St. Petersburg Times.
From 2011-2013, the publicly-owned AMALIE Arena underwent a $62 million transformation that was privately funded by Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment owner and chairman, Jeff Vinik.
On December 31, 2011 the St. Petersburg Times changed its name to the Tampa Bay Times, and the arena was unveiled as the Tampa Bay Times Forum to follow suit.
In August 2014, local Tampa Bay Company AMALIE Oil entered an agreement for the naming rights to the arena.