Benchmark International Arena

Tampa's downtown arena opened in 1996 as the Ice Palace, built as a permanent home for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won their first game there 5-2 over the Rangers on October 20. The name has turned over repeatedly since — St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa Bay Times Forum, Amalie Arena, and since August 2025, Benchmark International Arena.

For hockey it seats 19,092. For basketball, 20,500. For concerts, with the floor open, it goes to 21,500 — which makes it the biggest indoor room in the market and the default stop for arena tours coming through Florida.

A 2011–2013 renovation gave the building its two strangest features. There's a Tesla coil hanging from the rafters that throws real lightning into the arena during Lightning games, and a Walker digital pipe organ that is the largest in the NHL. Neither is standard issue.

The Stanley Cup Finals have been played here four times — 2004, 2015, 2021 and 2022 — which is worth remembering when you're standing on the floor waiting for a band to come on.