History
The city-owned Miami Arena opened in July 1988 in Overtown. The expansion Heat began play that November, and its pink exterior earned it the 'Pink Elephant' nickname.
The NHL's expansion Panthers joined in 1993 and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1996. The arena also hosted the 1990 NBA All-Star Game, University of Miami basketball and arena football.
Its limited seating and lack of premium amenities meant both pro teams left within a decade, the Panthers in 1998 and the Heat in early 2000. The city sold the largely idle building at auction in 2004; its roof was imploded in September 2008 and the remaining walls were removed that fall.
Why it matters: Launching pad for both of South Florida's indoor major-league franchises, and an example of an arena made obsolete in about ten years.
Timeline
- August 4, 1986Groundbreaking[1]
Construction began in Overtown.
- July 13, 1988
The arena opened with a concert (Wikipedia: Julio Iglesias; The Real Deal: Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli and Sammy Davis Jr.).
- November 5, 1988
The expansion Heat lost their first game to the Clippers.
- June 1996Stanley Cup Final[1]
The Panthers hosted games of the 1996 Final, swept by Colorado.
- 1998
The Panthers left for their new arena in Broward County.
- January 2, 2000
The Heat played their first game at American Airlines Arena, ending their Miami Arena tenure.
- September 21, 2008
Explosives brought down the roof; the remaining walls were cleared over the following weeks, with the west wall falling October 21, 2008.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2,3] |
|---|---|
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
We have not verified what occupies the site today. Know? Tell us, with a source.
Teams & events
| Miami Heat | NBA · 1988–1999 |
|---|---|
| Florida Panthers | NHL · 1993–1998 |
| Miami Hurricanes men's basketball | NCAA · 1988–2003 · tenant |
| Miami Hooters | Arena Football League · 1993–1995 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Pink Elephant |
|---|---|
| Location | 721 NW 1st Avenue, Overtown, Miami, Florida[1] |
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Basketball, Football, Hockey, Boxing & wrestling |
| Level | NBA, NHL, NCAA, Arena Football League, Minor League |
| Opened | July 13, 1988[1,2,3] |
| Last used for sports | July 2008[1] |
| Demolished | 2008[1,2,3] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 15,008[1] |
| Final capacity | 15,200[1] |
| Capacity notes | Basketball 15,008 (1988-1993) then 15,200; hockey about 14,700. |
| Architect | Lloyd Jones Fillpot Associates[1] |
| Construction cost | $52.5 million[1] |
| Owner / operator | City of Miami (1988-2004); Arena Ventures, LLC (2004-2008); operated by the Miami Sports and Entertainment Authority[1] |
| Closure | Small capacity and lack of luxury amenities drove the Heat and Panthers to new arenas; the building sat largely idle after 2004. |
Documented details
Connected venues
- Replaced by: Kaseya Center · Heat moved to American Airlines Arena (now Kaseya Center) in January 20001999–present
- Replaced by: Amerant Bank Arena · Panthers moved to the National Car Rental Center (now Amerant Bank Arena) in 19981998–present
- Replacement for: Hollywood Sportatorium · Miami Arena opened in 19881969–1988
Sources
- Miami Arena (Wikipedia), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, demolished, events, opened, owner operator, teams
- Old Miami Arena site gets new plans: here's a timeline of the property (May 17, 2013), WLRN. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: demolished, opened, teams
- Demolition starts at old arena (Sept. 22, 2008), The Real Deal. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: 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 (4)
- Opening act: Wikipedia says Julio Iglesias; The Real Deal says Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli and Sammy Davis Jr.
- Hurricanes tenancy end: Wikipedia 2002 (infobox) / 2003 (text) / WLRN 2003 / The Real Deal 2006.
- Closure: Wikipedia says July 2008, but WLRN describes the arena as largely idle from 2004 and the last concert Wikipedia lists is November 2005.
- Current site use: Wikipedia calls it a parking lot; WLRN (2013) described a pop-up park with a skate area and a proposed large development.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.