History
Developer Stephen Calder built the hangar-like Sportatorium on then-empty land along Pines Boulevard, opening it with the Miami Rock Festival in December 1969. A 1975 renovation raised seating to roughly 15,500.
It was South Florida's main large indoor venue for two decades, staging a Roberto Duran title fight, NASL indoor soccer, an NBA exhibition and concerts by Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley and the Grateful Dead. Its leaky roof and unruly crowds became part of its reputation.
The opening of Miami Arena in 1988 ended its run; the final show was on October 21, 1988. Hurricane Andrew damaged the empty shell and it was torn down in 1993.
Why it matters: It was the main large arena in South Florida before Miami Arena and a well-known stop on 1970s rock tours.
Timeline
- December 27, 1969 – December 29, 1969Miami Rock Festival[1]
The first event at the arena.
- October 15, 1976Duran title defense[1]
Roberto Duran defended his WBA lightweight title at the arena.
- October 7, 1977NBA preseason game[1]
The New Orleans Jazz met the Atlanta Hawks in an exhibition.
- October 21, 1988
The Desert Rose Band played the last concert months after Miami Arena opened.
- 1993
After years of disuse and damage from Hurricane Andrew, the building was torn down.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Sedano's supermarket[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Fort Lauderdale Strikers (indoor) | NASL · 1980–1981 · tenant |
|---|
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Location | 17171 Pines Boulevard (State Road 820), Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, Pembroke Pines, Florida[1] |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Boxing & wrestling, Basketball, Soccer, Tennis |
| Level | Pro Boxing, NASL |
| Opened | December 1969[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | October 21, 1988[1,2] |
| Demolished | 1993[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 6,000[1,2] |
| Final capacity | 15,532[1,2] |
| Capacity notes | Opened with about 6,000 seats; 15,532 after a 1975 renovation (Wikipedia). The Sun Sentinel gives 15,500. |
| Owner / operator | Stephen A. Calder |
| Closure | Made obsolete by the opening of Miami Arena in 1988. |
Documented details
Connected venues
Sources
- Hollywood Sportatorium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened
- Fast Times At The Hollywood Sportatorium, City & Shore / South Florida Sun Sentinel. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, demolished, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (2)
- The Sun Sentinel article gives 1970 as the opening year; Wikipedia dates the first event to December 1969.
- The Sun Sentinel says demolition came about five years after 1988 without giving a year; Wikipedia says September-October 1993.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.