Simone Biles and Co. have a busy week ahead. After their Charlotte, North Carolina show, the team will perform three back-to-back shows until October 15. However, they’ll start the three-show sprint at Sunshine City, Florida. While the Gold Over America Tour will move to Orlando on October 12, they perform their first show at the famous Amerant Bank Arena.
Like many of the other arenas they’ve visited, Amerant Bank Arena is among the best venues in the States. In fact, the Amerant Bank Arena claims to be “the most notable sports and entertainment venue in Florida and among the best in the world.” However, what truly gives the Arena its character is that like many prestigious venues, Amerant is home to a sports team.
Unlike many stadiums where Simone Biles and the Gold Over America Tour have performed, Amerant Bank Arena was just a concept in 1992 when H. Wayne Huizenga sought a home for the Florida Panthers NHL team. The business mogul and Panthers co-owner envisioned a state-of-the-art facility for his team, which eventually became a reality.
While the Panthers played their home games at the now-demolished Miami Arena, which they shared with the NBA’s Miami Heat, Blockbuster Video co-owner H. Wayne Huizenga wanted a dedicated arena for the team. He found the perfect location when City Manager Pat Salerno announced plans to build a $167 million civic center near Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, Florida.
After selecting the site in June 1996, H. Wayne Huizenga aimed to accomplish the daunting task of constructing an arena in just 26 months. Despite the challenges, and with the help of Ellerbe Becket, $185 million, and 2.3 million man-hours, the arena opened in September 1998—just one month behind Huizenga’s ambitious target, but still in time for the 1998 NHL fall season.
On October 3, 1998, Celine Dion performed at the grand opening of Amerant Bank Arena. The purpose-built facility accommodates 19,000 spectators, with the capacity to exceed 20,000 for special events. The arena also boasts 70 suites and the Amerant Vault Club, which includes over 2,500 seats. Beyond its impressive amenities, the home of the Florida Panthers is a highly active venue, regularly hosting a variety of events.
An overview of the major events held at the venue hosting Simone Biles and Co.?
According to the American Bank Arena website, the venue hosts over 125 events annually. This not only shows that the venue can handle a lot of traffic but is flexible enough to host varied events. While built for the Florida Panthers, the venue hosts everything from college and high school commencement ceremonies to full-fledged concerts.
The Simone Biles-led Gold Over America Tour is a one-of-a-kind event that combines gymnastics with music and storytelling. It’s no surprise that the arena hosts approximately 1.2 million visitors annually. This year alone, the event lineup has been extensive. In addition to the Gold Over America Tour, the venue has welcomed musicians such as Bryan Adams, Toto, Journey, Enrique Iglesias, and more earlier this year.
Besides hosting Panthers games since its inception, the arena has also enjoyed a long-standing relationship with WWE. Beginning with RAW in 1999, Amerant Bank Arena has hosted multiple WWE events over the years. The latest pro wrestling show to grace the venue was the August 2024 edition of WWE Main Event.
Simone Biles and Co. won’t be the last big act visiting the arena this year. Justin Timberlake will arrive at the Forget Tomorrow World Tour on November 8. 2024. Coincidentally, Amernat Arena will be the third common area between GOAT and the multiple-time Grammy award-winning artist.
The first common venue was the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and then their most recent venue, Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. So it’s easy to see why GOAT chose the prestigious stadium. Yet, what are your views on Simone Biles and Co.’s next venue? Have you attended an event at the Arena? Let us know in the comments.
