View source for Miami Arena

{{Short description|Arena in Miami, Florida, United States}}
{{about|the defunct arena in Downtown Miami|one of its successors temporarily renamed Miami-Dade Arena|Kaseya Center}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Miami Arena
| nickname = The Pink Elephant
| logo_image = Miaarena logol.png
| logo_size = 150px
| logo_caption = 
| image = [[File:Miamiarena.jpg|250px|Miami Arena, 2002]]
| caption = Miami Arena circa 2002
| fullname = 
| former names = 
| address = 721 NW 1st Ave
| location = [[Miami]], [[Florida]]
| coordinates = {{coord|25|46|52|N|80|11|41|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = {{Start date|1986|08|04}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Miami Breaks Ground For 16,000-seat Arena|first=Robert A.|last=Liff|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1986/08/05/miami-breaks-ground-for-16000-seat-arena/|newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|date=August 5, 1986|access-date=March 28, 2012}}</ref>
| built = 
| opened = {{Start date|1988|07|13}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Miami Arena's Opening Bash is a Hit With Colorful Crowd|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB33899906DEABD&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=[[Miami Herald]]|date=July 14, 1988|access-date=March 28, 2012}}</ref>
| renovated = 
| expanded = 
| closed = July 2008
| demolished = August–October 2008
| owner = City of Miami <small>(1988&ndash;2004)</small><br>Arena Ventures, LLC. <small>(2004&ndash;2008)</small>
| operator = Miami Sports and Entertainment Authority
| surface = 
| scoreboard = 
| cost = $52.5 million <br><small>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|52500000|1988}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})</small>
| architect = Lloyd Jones Fillpot Associates
| project_manager = 
| structural engineer = [[Walter P Moore Engineers and Consultants|Walter P. Moore]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20000708022900/http://www.walterpmoore.com/proj2_2.htm Walter P Moore – Arenas (archived)]</ref>
| services engineer = 
| general_contractor = Linbeck Construction Company
| main_contractors = 
| capacity = {{ubl|15,200 (basketball)|14,700 (hockey)}}
| suites = 
| record_attendance = 
| dimensions = 
| acreage = 
| volume = 
| tenants = [[Miami Heat]] ([[National Basketball Association|NBA]]) (1988–1999)<br>[[Miami Hurricanes]] ([[NCAA]]) (1988–2002)<br>[[Florida Hammerheads]] ([[Roller Hockey International|RHI]]) (1993)<br>[[Florida Panthers]] ([[National Hockey League|NHL]]) (1993–1998)<br>[[Miami Hooters]] ([[Arena Football League (1987–2008)|AFL]]) (1993–1995)<br>[[Miami Matadors]] ([[ECHL]]) (1998–1999)<br>[[Miami Manatees]] ([[World Hockey Association 2|WHA2]]) (2003–2004)<br>[[Miami Morays|Miami Morays/Florida Frenzy]] ([[National Indoor Football League|NIFL]]) (2005–2006)
| embedded = 
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| publictransit = {{rint|miami}} [[Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre station|Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre]]
}}
'''Miami Arena''' was an [[indoor arena]] located in [[Miami, Florida]]. The venue served as the home of the [[Miami Heat]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) and the [[Florida Panthers]] of the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL).<ref>{{Cite web |title=LAST TICKET FROM MIAMI ARENA, 1998 |url=https://www.flapanthersvault.com/item/last-ticket-from-miami-arena-1998/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=Florida Panthers Virtual Vault |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ganzi |first=Joey |date=2021-09-27 |title=Florida Panthers' Arena History - The Hockey Writers Panthers History Latest News, Analysis & More |url=https://thehockeywriters.com/panthers-arena-history-bbt-center/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=The Hockey Writers |language=en-US}}</ref> From 1988 until 2002,<ref>{{cite web | title=Hurricanes Storm by Lehigh | date=December 30, 2002 | url=https://miamihurricanes.com/news/2002/12/30/205540275-2/#:~:text=MIAMI%20(AP)%20%E2%80%93%20James%20Jones,their%20new%20on%2Dcampus%20arenaSaturday }}</ref> it also was the indoor arena for the [[Miami Hurricanes]].

==History==
[[File:Miami arena demolition.jpg|thumb|left|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 [[United States dollar|$]]52.5 million, its opening took business away from the [[Hollywood Sportatorium]] and eventually led to that venue's demolition. The arena was the home of the [[Miami Heat]] from 1988 to 1999, the [[Florida Panthers]] from 1993 to 1998, the [[University of Miami]] basketball teams from 1988 to 2003, the [[Miami Hooters]] of the [[Arena Football League]] from 1993 to 1995, the [[Miami Matadors]] of the [[East Coast Hockey League|ECHL]] in 1998 and the [[Miami Manatees]] of the WHA2 in 2003. The first game played by the Heat in their first home was a loss to the [[Los Angeles Clippers]], 111–91, on November 5, 1988; the first victory came a month and a half later against the [[Utah Jazz]], 101–80.

The arena also hosted the 1990 [[National Basketball Association All-Star Game|NBA All-Star Game]], the [[Royal Rumble (1991)|1991 WWF Royal Rumble]], the [[1994 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1994 NCAA men's basketball East Regional final]], the NHL's [[1996 Stanley Cup Finals]] between the Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche and the NBA's [[1997 NBA Playoffs]] Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls.

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. Its [[seating 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 (now [[Amerant Bank Arena]]) in [[Sunrise, Florida|Sunrise]], near Florida's largest outlet mall, [[Sawgrass Mills]]. On January 2, 2000, the Heat moved to the new American Airlines Arena (now [[Kaseya 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, the [[Miami Manatees]] of the [[World Hockey Association 2|WHA2]] played at the Miami Arena in 2003, and the [[Miami Morays]] [[indoor American football|indoor football]] from 2005 to 2006.

The arena was easily accessible via mass transit, with a [[Metrorail (Miami)|Metrorail]] stop at [[Historic 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 a [[white elephant]] with pink colored walls.

In 2004, the arena was sold in a [[public auction]] to Glenn Straub, an investor from [[Palm Beach County, Florida|Palm 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.

==Seating capacity==
'''Basketball'''
* 1988–1993 – 15,008
* 1993–2008 – 15,200

'''Ice hockey/arena football'''
* 14,703

'''Concerts'''
* Full house: 16,627
* 3/4 house: 9,878
* 1/2 house: 7,485
* In the round: 16,694
* the space in arena is 1,560

'''Other'''
* [[Banquet]]s – 500 
* Luxury suites – 26

==Events==
{{hidden
| headercss = background: #ccccff; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;
| contentcss = text-align: left; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;
| header =List of Events
| content = 
*[[Julio Iglesias]] – July 13, 1988 (Arena's opening concert)
*[[Robert Plant]] – July 14, 1988, with [[Cheap Trick]] and October 23, 1990, with [[The Black Crowes]]
*[[AC/DC]] – August 11, 1988, with [[White Lion]], 
*[[Eazy-E]] - August 23, 1989 (Eazy Duz It Tour), 
February 21, 1991, with [[King's X]] and January 21, 1996, with [[The Poor (Australian band)|The Poor]]
*[[Elton John]] – September 9–10, 1988, October 13–14, 1989, May 5, 1993 and May 4 and October 2, 1998
*[[Bob Dylan]] – September 23, 1988
*[[Frank Sinatra]] – September 24, 1988 and January 20–21, 1989, with [[Sammy Davis Jr.]] and [[Liza Minnelli]]
*[[Gloria Estefan]] & [[Miami Sound Machine]] – October 1, 1988 (Broadcast Live on Showtime and later released on Home Video as ''The Homecoming Concert'')
*The [[Grateful Dead]] – October 14, 1988, October 25–26, 1989 and April 6–8, 1994
*[[Poison (American band)|Poison]] – October 15, 1988, with [[Lita Ford]] and [[Britny Fox]], March 15, 1989, with Ratt and Tesla and March 23, 1991, with [[Slaughter (band)|Slaughter]]
*[[The Moody Blues]] – November 9, 1988
*[[Neil Diamond]] – December 18–20, 1988, February 21–22, 1993 and December 9, 1996
*[[Duran Duran]] – January 14, 1989, with [[The Pursuit of Happiness (band)|The Pursuit of Happiness]]
*[[Bon Jovi]] – February 9, 1989, with [[Skid Row (American band)|Skid Row]] and September 9, 1995
*[[Ratt]] – April 28, 1989, with [[Kix (band)|Kix]] and [[Great White]]
*[[R.E.M.]] – April 29, 1989, with [[Drivin' N' Cryin']] (Tracks from this show and from April 30th at [[Orlando Arena]] were broadcast on the radio) and September 8, 1995, with [[Radiohead]]
*[[Rod Stewart]] – April 30, 1989 and October 13, 1991
*[[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] – July 5, 1989, with [[The Replacements (band)|The Replacements]], October 22, 1991, with [[Chris Whitley]] and May 15 and 17, 1995, with [[Pete Droge]]
*[[Jimmy Buffett]] & The [[Coral Reefer Band]] – August 5, 1989, with [[The Neville Brothers]], January 24, 1991, with [[Greg "Fingers" Taylor]] & The Ladyfingers Revue and January 24, 1992, with [[Evangeline (band)|Evangeline]]
*[[The Doobie Brothers]] – September 1, 1989
*[[Stevie Nicks]] – September 30, 1989, with [[The Hooters]]
*[[The Beach Boys]] – October 7, 1989, with [[Chicago (band)|Chicago]]
*[[Stevie Ray Vaughan]] & [[Double Trouble (band)|Double Trouble]] and [[Jeff Beck]] – November 21, 1989
*[[Mötley Crüe]] – January 21, 1990, with [[Raging Slab]]
*[[Rush (band)|Rush]] – February 22, 1990, with [[Mr. Big (American band)|Mr. Big]], February 28, 1992, with [[Primus (band)|Primus]] and February 27, 1994, with [[Candlebox]] (Recording of "[[Show Don't Tell (song)|Show Don't Tell]]" from 1994 show was included on ''[[Different Stages (Rush album)|Different Stages]]'')
*[[Janet Jackson]] – March 1 (her debut concert) and July 12, 1990, with [[Chuckii Booker]] and January 20, 1994
*[[Billy Joel]] – March 12, 1990 and February 8, 14 and 18–19 and April 15–16, 1994
*[[Whitesnake]] – March 24, 1990
*[[Dolly Parton]] – April 21, 1990
*[[Aerosmith]] – April 22, 1990, with [[Joan Jett and the Blackhearts]] and February 2, 1994, with [[Brother Cane]]
*[[David Bowie]] – April 27, 1990
*[[Depeche Mode]] – May 31, 1990, with [[Nitzer Ebb]], October 2, 1993, with [[The The]] and November 13, 1998, with [[Stabbing Westward]]
*[[Heart (band)|Heart]] – June 8, 1990
*[[MC Hammer]] – June 30, 1990 [[Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em World Tour]], April 10, 1992 [[Too Legit to Quit World Tour]]
*[[Eric Clapton]] – July 21–23, 1990, May 25, 1992, September 5–6, 1995, with [[Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown]] and April 25, 1998, with Distant Cousins
*[[The B-52's]] – July 28, 1990
*[[Kiss (band)|KISS]] – August 3, 1990, with [[Danger Danger]] and Slaughter, October 31, 1992 and September 17, 1996, with [[The Verve Pipe]]
*[[Billy Idol]] – September 29, 1990, with [[Faith No More]]
*[[Fleetwood Mac]] – October 24, 1990, with [[Squeeze (band)|Squeeze]]
*[[Judas Priest]] – December 20, 1990, with [[Testament (band)|Testament]] and [[Megadeth]]
*[[INXS]] – January 22 and February 5, 1991
*[[Sting (musician)|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 as ''[[Evolution World Tour|The Evolution Tour]]: Live in Miami'')
*[[Neil Young]] & [[Crazy Horse (band)|Crazy Horse]] – March 9, 1991, with [[Sonic Youth]]
*[[Cinderella (band)|Cinderella]] – March 11, 1991
*[[ZZ Top]] – April 5–7, 1991, with [[Dreams So Real]]
*[[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]] – May 26, 1991, with Great White and [[Trixter]]
*[[Whitney Houston]] – June 11, 1991, with [[After 7]]
*[[David Lee Roth]] – June 15, 1991, with Cinderella and [[Extreme (band)|Extreme]]
*[[Suicidal Tendencies]] – June 27, 1991
*[[Don Henley]] – June 29, 1991
*[[Queensrÿche]] – July 3, 1991 and June 25, 1995, with [[Type O Negative]]
*[[Yes (band)|Yes]] – July 6, 1991 and August 10, 1994
*[[Slayer]] – July 14, 1991, with Megadeth, [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]] and [[Alice in Chains]]
*[[The Allman Brothers Band]] – October 31, 1991, with [[Little Feat]]
*[[Van Halen]] – December 13, 1991, with Alice in Chains and March 17, 1995
*[[U2]] – March 1, 1992, with The [[Pixies (band)|Pixies]]
*[[Metallica]] – March 14, 1992, with [[Metal Church]] and April 19, 1997, with [[Corrosion of Conformity]]
*[[Bryan Adams]] – April 12, with [[The Storm (American band)|The Storm]] and December 4, 1992
*[[The Cure]] – June 3–4, 1992, with The [[Cranes (band)|Cranes]] and August 30, 1996
*[[Michael Bolton]] – July 30, 1992, with [[Celine Dion]]
*[[Ozzy Osbourne]] – August 14, 1992, with Slaughter and [[Ugly Kid Joe]]
*[[Tesla (band)|Tesla]] – October 1, 1992, with [[FireHouse (band)|FireHouse]]
*[[Bruce Springsteen]] – November 24, 1992
*[[Def Leppard]] – February 2, 1993
*[[Peter Gabriel]] – August 4, 1993
*[[Tina Turner]] – August 22, 1993
*[[Sade (band)|Sade]] – September 22, 1993
*[[Mariah Carey]] – November 3, 1993 (her debut concert)
*[[Phil Collins]] – May 30–31, 1994 and March 3, 1997
*[[Meat Loaf]] & His [[Neverland Express]] – July 29, 1994
*[[Steely Dan]] – August 21, 1994
*[[Luis Miguel]] – October 6–9, 1994, October 9–10, 1995, November 30, 1997, February 7–8, 1998 and February 16–17, 2002
*[[Nine Inch Nails]] – November 20, 1994, with [[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]] and The [[Jim Rose Circus]] and May 17, 2000, with [[A Perfect Circle]]
*The [[Eagles (band)|Eagles]] – February 27, 1995
*[[Page & Plant]] – March 6, 1995 and May 22, 1998
*[[Boston (band)|Boston]] – June 30, 1995
*[[Melissa Etheridge]] – July 3, 1995, with [[Joan Osborne]]
*[[Live (band)|Live]] – July 30, 1995, with [[Buffalo Tom]]
*[[AC/DC]] - January 21, 1996, with [[The Poor (American band)|The Poor]]
*[[White Zombie (band)|White Zombie]] – February 2, 1996, with [[Filter (band)|Filter]]
*[[Bob Seger]] & The Silver Bullet Band – February 9, 1996
*[[Garth Brooks]] – April 18–20, 1996
*[[LL Cool J]] – June 7, 1996, with [[R. Kelly]], [[Xscape (group)|Xscape]] and [[Solo (American band)|Solo]]
* The [[1996 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.
*[[Pantera]] – July 6, 1996, with [[White Zombie (band)|White Zombie]]
*[[The Smashing Pumpkins]] – November 17, 1996, with [[Garbage (band)|Garbage]]
*[[New Edition]] – January 24, 1997, with [[Keith Sweat]], [[Blackstreet]] and [[702 (group)|702]]
*[[Bush (British band)|Bush]] – March 20, 1997, with [[Veruca Salt]]
*[[Prince (musician)|Prince]] & [[The New Power Generation]] – August 15, 1997
*The [[Fugees]] – September 13, 1997
*[[Bone Thugs-n-Harmony]] – September 21, 1997
*[[Enrique Iglesias]] – December 12–13, 1997
*The [[Backstreet Boys]] – July 10, 1998, with [[Aaron Carter]]
*[[Brooks & Dunn]] – July 17, 1998, with [[Reba McEntire]], [[Terri Clark]] and [[David Kersh]]
*The [[Family Values Tour 1999|Family Values Tour]] – May 11, 1999
*[[Los Van Van]] – October 9, 1999
*[[Ricky Martin]] – October 20–21, 1999, with [[Jessica Simpson]]
*[[System of a Down]] – November 5, 1999, with [[Limp Bizkit]] and [[Method Man]]
*[[Alejandro Fernández]] – November 14, 1999, with [[Elvis Crespo]]
*[[Shakira]] – April 22, 2000
*[[Blink-182]] – May 19, 2000, with [[Bad Religion]] and [[Fenix TX]]
*[[Marc Anthony]] – July 27–29, 2000
*[[Juan Luis Guerra]] – August 27, 2000 and May 9, 2005, with [[Ricardo Montaner]] and [[Gian Marco Zignago]]
*[[Carlos Vives]] – September 16, 2000
*[[Juan Gabriel]] – November 18, 2000, with [[Ana Gabriel]]
*[[Vicente Fernández]] – July 21, 2001, with Alejandro Fernández
*[[Marcos Witt]] – May 21, 2002 for Dios de Pactos (God of Covenants)
*[[Sasha & John Digweed]] – March 23, 2002, with [[Jimmy Van M]]
*[[Maná]] – October 25, 2002
*[[Dragon Tales]] Live – February 27, 2003 - March 2, 2003
*[[Marco Antonio Solís]] – May 25, 2003
*[[The Damned (band)|The Damned]] – August 13, 2003
*[[Berlin (band)|Berlin]] – October 4, 2003
*[[Chayanne]] – April 2, 2004
*[[Disney on Ice]] – December 6, 2004
*[[Kutless]] – March 5, 2005
*[[Wisin & Yandel]] – July 9, 2005
*The SCREAM Tour – September 4, 2005
*[[Molotov (band)|Molotov]] – November 6, 2005, with [[Rata Blanca]] and [[Jarabe de Palo]]
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://hockey.ballparks.com/NHL/FloridaPanthers/index.htm ^ "Miami Arena"] Ballparks.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-21.

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box | before= none | title = Home of the<br>[[Miami Heat]] | years = 1988–1999 | after = [[Kaseya Center]]}}
{{succession box | before = none | title = Home of the<br>[[Florida Panthers]] | years = 1993–1998 | after = [[FLA Live Arena]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Astrodome]] | title = Host of the<br> [[NBA All-Star Game]] | years = 1990 | after = [[Charlotte Coliseum]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Miami Heat}}
{{Miami Hurricanes men's basketball navbox}}
{{Florida Panthers}}
{{Florida Bobcats}}
{{Former NBA arenas}}
{{Former NHL arenas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1988]]
[[Category:Sports venues demolished in 2008]]
[[Category:College basketball venues in Florida]]
[[Category:Music venues in Florida]]
[[Category:Ice hockey venues in Florida]]
[[Category:Miami Hurricanes basketball venues]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Miami]]
[[Category:Defunct National Hockey League venues]]
[[Category:Former NBA venues]]
[[Category:Defunct college basketball venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Demolished music venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct indoor arenas in Florida]]
[[Category:Demolished sports venues in Florida]]
[[Category:1988 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:2008 disestablishments in Florida]]
[[Category:Florida Hammerheads]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures demolished by controlled implosion]]
[[Category:Florida Panthers]]
[[Category:Miami Heat]]