The History and Construction of Amalie Arena

It was 1995 and the Tampa Bay Lightning were in need of a new arena. At the time, the NHL team was only three years old and were determined to set themselves apart from other teams in the Center Division of the NHL and the league as a whole. Over the next 16 months a new arena, originally called the Ice Palace, would be constructed in the Channelside District of downtown Tampa.

Past Names of Amalie Arena

Amalie Arena was originally called the Ice Palace. Since 1996 it has been through a few different name changes. It was called the Ice Palace from 1996 - 2002, the St. Pete Times Forum from 2002 - 2012 and was The Tampa Bay Times Forum from 2012-2014. In August of 2014, Amalie Oil entered an agreement with the stadium and was awarded naming rights.

Construction of Amalie Arena

Little is written about the initial construction of the project. An article from the Sun Sentinel from November 15, 1996 states that the main construction team, led by Huber Hunt & Nichols “had to create a "hockey ready" arena in just 16 months and finish the behind-the-scenes areas later.” David Lefevre - Governor of the Lightnings at the time - is quoted saying “They had an impossible task and they did everything we asked of them and then some. They were incredible.”

The architect for the arena was Ellerbe Becket. The company was based in Minneapolis and offered a variety of services including engineering, interior design, construction and architectural work. The firm was acquired by AECOM in 2009.

Modular Construction in the 1990s

One of the most noteworthy construction tactics in the original construction of the Ice Palace was to mimic modular construction. The roof trusses were not assembled piece by piece into the top of the building. Instead, construction crews built them on the ground and then hoisted them up to the roof using cranes. This method of construction is believed to be one of the main reasons that Huber Hunt & Nichols were able to complete the project in such a short timeline.

Find Your Next Equipment Rental on DOZR

Articulated Dump Truck Rentals

25 ton - 45 ton

Excavator Rentals

13 ton - 80 ton

High Reach, Long Reach, Wheeled

Wheel Loader Rentals

1 yds - 7 yrds

SEE ALL EQUIPMENT ON DOZR

Some of the “behind the scenes” fixes that continued after the official opening of the Ice Palace included a few freight elevators, adding signage on stairways, removing debris sitting where landscaping was still to be done and finishing remaining kitchen fixtures in booths, boxes and club seats. These finishing touches weren’t complete until 1997.

Who Owns the Amalie Arena?

The arena was purchased and paid for by both the City of Tampa and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The City paid $84 million towards construction while the hockey team contributed $53 million.

Today, Hillsborough County and the Tampa Sports Authority jointly own the arena.

Opening Amalie Arena

On October 12, 1996 the very first event took place at the old Ice Palace. It was the Royal Hanneford Circus. The very first Tampa Bay Lightning game was played on October 20, 1996 against the New York Rangers. The Lightning won against the Rangers 5 - 2.

Specifications of an NHL Ice Arena

NHL Arenas have specifications they need to meet. All NHL ice rinks are 200 feet X 85 feet. They have a corner radius of 28 feet and the goal line sits exactly 11 feet from the end board. Blue lines are 75 feet from the end boards and sit 50 feet apart.

NHL ice is about ¾ inch thick. The ice is frozen to about 16-degrees Fahrenheit. Thicker ice is softer and slower. “Slow ice” and “fast ice” are terms used often to describe rinks in hockey. Everything from skating to stopping to passing the puck and scoring can be impacted by the quality of the ice. Climate, humidity, and heat can impact the quality of the ice. That is why arenas such as Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay need to be aware of their humidity and temperature control needs.

Amalie Arena Ice During the 2021 Playoffs

With a late-season playoff game in 2021, Tampa weather was posing a challenge for the quality and maintenance of the ice. Trane, a leader in air conditioning services, systems and solutions, was tapped in to provide a solution to keep the ice at a steady temperature.

Trane installed extra humidifiers and a 200 ton air chiller to help mitigate the rising temperature of the Tampa summer air. It worked perfectly and the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals went off without a hitch.

Fun Facts about Amalie Arena and the NHL

Amalie Arena is a part of a large community of hockey players and fans. Did you know that:

The red line is broken on hockey rinks because old black and white TV’s couldn’t tell the difference between blue and red lines.
Hockey pucks are frozen before games so they bounce less.
Manon Rheaume was the first woman to play in one of the four major sports leagues in the US. She goaltended for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a preseason game against the St. Louis Blues on September 23, 1996.
Amalie Arena has 21,500 seats.
Every year, over 150 events take place at Amalie Arena.
In 2020 the ice from Amalie Arena was used to create a Coors Light beer to celebrate their Stanly Cup Win.

Amalie Arena Today

The 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs have helped to put this arena in the limelight once again. With specific needs of humidity control and ice requirements, construction of an NHL arena is not to be taken lightly. Something as simple as a hockey team needing a home has resulted in another iconic building that will bring memories and joy to fans all over Florida and the world.