Amalie Arena – Overview

Tampa is a city that welcomes over nine million visitors each year and serves as one of the state’s most active cultural centers. Given Tampa’s booming growth, it should come as no surprise that the Amalie Arena holds status as one of the state’s foremost entertainment venues. Since opening in 1996 as the Ice Palace, the Amalie Arena has been the home of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and been host to thousands of events including concerts, hockey matches, and ice shows.

Since receiving a $62 million renovation in 2013, the arena has been outfitted with cutting-edge technology and inventive design choices that are sure to leave a lasting impression on attendees. As the second-largest arena in the state of Florida, the Amalie Arena has a ton to offer to its guests from VIP seating to dozens of on-site dining options.

 

Overview

  • Dimensions of the Amalie Arena: Having 670,000 square feet of space, the Amalie Arena is not only one of the largest arenas in Florida but also one of the largest in the entire country. The arena tops out at 133 feet tall and has a total diameter of 493 feet.
  • Seating capacity: In addition to its impressive size, the Amalie Arena also boasts some of the highest seating capacities in the United States. For ice hockey, the arena can accommodate up to 19,092 visitors. Basketball allows for up to 20,500, arena football can hold 18,500, and concerts can seat a whopping 21,500 people comfortably.
  • Signature VIP spaces: For those looking for an exclusive experience, the Amalie Arena offers a number of premium seating packages that can accommodate anywhere from 18 to 150 individual guests. The RMS Lofts and Heritage Insurance Lofts are spacious, being able to seat 40 to 125 guests. The arena’s Super Suites can hold up to 40 while smaller parties can opt for one of the Executive Suites which have their own private level and custom catering.
  • Accessibility: The Amalie Arena is equipped with a variety of features to help ensure an event experience that’s inclusive for those who may need increased accessibility. The arena offers a free wheelchair service handled by their staff along with wheelchair-accessible elevators. Enhancements for the hearing impaired are offered as well as a closed captioning app that can be linked to a smartphone. An American Sign Language interpreter can also be booked for guests at least one week in advance.
  • Modern technology and design features: Since receiving a $62 million renovation, the Amalie Arena has been furnished with a number of features that distinguish it as a modern venue. Every seat in the arena is now plush leather for maximum comfort and the new sound system is made up of 260 dedicated speakers. The LED-lit video display board, measuring 28 by 50 feet is the largest of its kind in North America. The arena’s digital pipe organ is massive; containing five keyboards with 42 ranks of sounds. A centerpiece of hockey games, the Amalie Arena also has its own tesla coils hanging from the ceiling that will spit streaming arcs of electricity during the Lightning’s introduction and whenever they score a goal.
  • On-site dining options: The Amalie Arena is thoroughly stocked with choices when it comes to choosing where to eat. The first and third levels of the amphitheater house over two dozen franchise options for fans who want to grab a bite during a match. For pre-game dining, event attendees are welcome to dine at the Firestick Grill, a 9,000-square-foot gourmet buffet that serves everything from French onion soup to locally caught shrimp. The Interact Bistro @ Firestick Grill is another buffet with a selection that’s centered on international dishes, unique presentation, and customizability. The bistro aims to appeal to a younger demographic and serves up Instagrammable foods like their mini donuts that you can inject with your choice of filling.

 

Tips

  • Avoid parking hassles. As of 2019, there is only one place to park on the same block as the Amalie Arena, the South Regional Garage. Since the garage is known to fill up pretty quick during Lightning games, you may end up having to park at the arena’s adjacent lots that span the next couple blocks or at neighboring establishments. To help minimize a potentially stressful experience, you can purchase a parking space beforehand for the nearby Port Garage or Whiting Street Garage.
  • Or just bypass parking entirely. If you plan on enjoying the rest of what Tampa has to over before you make your way to the arena, consider some of the local transportation options to get there when it’s time for your event. The Amalie Arena Station, the local light rail transport, is close enough to the Amalie Arena that the walk can be made in only a couple minutes. If you’re touring other parts of the city, consider hiring a water taxi as they make stops all over the Downtown shore.
  • Dress appropriately. Even though Tampa averages zero inches of snow in a year, bringing a warm article of clothing along to the Amalie Arena is a good idea. The temperature in the arena usually hovers around 70 degrees, but being seated underneath one of the air conditioning units in the amphitheater could be uncomfortable for attendees in light clothing. It’s worth noting that the temperature during Lightning games will certainly be a bit colder than average, so having a sweatshirt or light jacket handy means you can stay comfortable for the whole game no matter where you’re sitting, especially if it’s right by the ice.
  • Don’t waste time waiting in concession lines. Rather than waiting in line to place your order and then waiting even more to be served, you can opt to order through electronic kiosks to sidestep that process. If you don’t want to wait until intermission to get something to eat, ordering through the kiosks helps you save time that can be spent paying attention to the game.
  • Familiarize yourself with the arena’s video and photography policies. If you plan on taking photos during an event at the Amalie Arena, you’ll have to bring a camera with a lens that’s less than six inches in length. Unfortunately, any form of video recording is prohibited along with selfie sticks and professional grade cameras with detachable lenses.

 

Trivia

  • The Amalie Arena has made going green one of their top priorities. They have containers for recycling plastics and metal materials respectively. Water conservation is a priority at the arena as well; all 351 faucets in the facility’s bathrooms are touchless and urinals are all water-free. The facility’s hydroponic garden is also supplied by a system that captures excess water, which ends up saving over 300,000 gallons each year.
  • There’s a hydroponic garden at the Amalie Arena. In 2014, the Amalie Arena constructed its own hydroponic garden, the largest one of any entertainment venue in the southeast, consisting of 3,000 growing spots vertically stacked. The garden supplies fresh, organic cucumbers, tomatoes, arugula, and more to the arena’s many concession stands and the Firestick Grill. In total, the amount of veggies produced by the garden is the equivalent to a one-acre farm.
  • Farewell tours love to make stops at the Amalie Arena. In 2019, KISS, Elton John, and The Who are scheduled to perform at the arena on the American leg of their final tours.
  • The 1999 NHL All-Star Game took place at the Amalie Arena. The Amalie Arena, known at the time as the Ice Palace, hosted the 1996 National Hockey League All-Star Game. The game famously featured The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, in his final All-Star appearance; lead the New York Rangers to a hard-fought victory.