Amalie Arena Tampa Tickets

From the Thunderdome to Downtown Tampa

The Tampa Bay Lightning outgrew their first home quickly. Expo Hall in Tampa proved too small for an NHL team, so in 1993, the club's second year, the Lightning moved to the Florida Suncoast Dome in St. Petersburg. The dome had been built in 1990 for an expected Major League Baseball team. It was partitioned for hockey, renamed the Thunderdome and served as the Lightning's home for three seasons while their new downtown Tampa arena was under construction.

One Arena, Five Names

The new building opened in 1996 as the Ice Palace. It was later known as the St. Pete Times Forum and the Tampa Bay Times Forum. In September 2014 it became AMALIE Arena, when the family-owned, Tampa Bay-based AMALIE Oil Company partnered with Jeff Vinik and the Lightning. Since 2010, Vinik has led a brand and business transformation of the team and the arena, including a mostly private renovation of the publicly owned facility.

On August 13, 2025, the arena became Benchmark International Arena. Its new namesake is a mergers and acquisitions firm headquartered in Tampa. The deal was unveiled on 813 Day at a press conference in the arena's Alumni Hall. New signage and activations were rolled out in phases ahead of the 2025-26 Lightning season. The building celebrated its 30th anniversary on October 12, 2026.

Home of the Lightning

Hockey is the building's defining tenant. The Lightning have won three Stanley Cups, in 2004, 2020 and 2021, and the arena hosted celebrations for all three. Over the decades, fans here have watched franchise greats such as Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. The club also won the Eastern Conference title in 2014-15 and reached the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.

The arena has also had a temporary basketball tenant. COVID-19 travel restrictions led the Toronto Raptors to relocate from Canada, and they played the entire 2020-21 NBA season here.

Amalie Arena Seating Plan and Premium Spaces

Where you sit shapes which spaces your ticket opens up. In 2025 the premium club level was renamed the Benchmark International Club Level. Its signature all-inclusive experience is called The Mark. Suites were upgraded for the 2024-25 season, the same season the RIPA Rooftop opened.

You don't need a premium seat to explore the building. Market on Four is a food hall that brings five local Tampa Bay eateries under one roof, and guests with a ticket in any section can use it. When comparing listings, check the section map attached to each event.

Arriving on Ford Thunder Alley

The approach to the arena is part of the experience. Since the 2024-25 season, the exterior has carried the largest marquee display in Central Florida. It includes a digital video wall with 3D-capable LED lights, LED ribbons across the front of the building and interactive kiosks around the arena. Ford Thunder Alley, where fans arrive before heading inside, gained an improved Corona Bolts Bay.

Getting to Amalie Arena Events

The arena stands at 401 Channelside Dr. in downtown Tampa, at the heart of the Water Street neighborhood and its sports and entertainment district. In 2019, Water Street Tampa was developing 60 contiguous acres around the building, and the venue publishes traffic updates for guests. Check the latest updates before you set off.