Tampa Bay Lightning unveil millions in improvements to Amalie Arena
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Oct 3, 2024

The Tampa Bay Lightning have unveiled improvements to Amalie Arena, from exterior digital signage to a revamp of the former Firestick Grill.

“Every year, we consistently try to improve the building and enhance the building,” Lightning CEO Steve Griggs told the Tampa Bay Business Journal. “It’s almost a 30-year-old building. If you go back to the original transformation that we did back in 2011, we’ve continued to say, ‘OK, what’s the next piece of the building we need to upgrade?’”

Amalie Arena opened as the Ice Palace in 1996. At the 30-year mark, team owners and civic leaders typically begin to consider significant renovations or redevelopment of professional sports stadiums. The Tampa Bay Rays are about to break ground on a new stadium to replace Tropicana Field, which opened in 1990; questions loom over potential upgrades needed at Raymond James Stadium, which is nearly 26 years old. The Lightning, Griggs said, have made strategic investments in the county-owned hockey arena since Jeff Vinik bought the team in 2010.

Vinik also played a key role in redeveloping the surface parking lots surrounding the area when he purchased the Lightning. Until 2023, Vinik was the managing partner of Strategic Property Partners, the developer that built the mixed-use Water Street Tampa district surrounding Amalie Arena.

“One of the key things here is that we’re in the perfect location, and we’ve also just built two and a half billion dollars of development around the building,” Griggs said. “The focus really is, ‘OK. How do we continue to evolve this building and maintain this building for it to be here for a long period of time?’ Because it’s in the perfect place.”

The private suites, which are sold out, were renovated in the off-season. In late September, roof renovations were underway at the arena, which Griggs said were a $3.5 million investment. In recent years, the team has upgraded the arena’s security and cooling systems.

“All of the nuts and bolts of the building have been given a long length of life now,” Griggs said.

Here’s a look at some of the improvements to the fan experience the Bolts revealed for the 2024-25 season:

New food options

The Market on Four, a food hall-style eatery on the fourth floor of Amalie Arena, has replaced the Firestick Grill, a sit-down restaurant in the arena. It features five local restaurants: King of the Coop, Bavaro’s, Malio’s, Zukku Sushi and Bake’n Babes, the Lightning said. All ticket holders will be able to access the Market on Four.

“When we looked at Firestick Grill as a sit-down restaurant, its time had come,” Griggs said.

Two new outdoor food and beverage options are available: Corona Bolts Bay, a beach-themed shipping container concept in Ford Thunder Alley, and the RIPA Rooftop, which is open to all fans and features new seating options and upgraded screens.

Central Florida’s largest marquee display

In late 2023, the team revealed its plans to upgrade the arena’s digital signage. The signage should be ready for the regular season home opener on Oct. 12 and will include a “digital video wall, featuring cutting-edge LED lights with 3D capabilities” as well as “LED ribbons” on the arena’s front facade and “multiple interactive kiosks in key areas surrounding the arena.”

The digital video wall, Griggs said, is three-dimensional.

“It’s going to be pretty impactful when people walk up to the building and see it for the first time,” he said.