Miami Arena

Completed in 1988 at a cost of $52.5 million, Miami Arena was built to provide Miami with a modern indoor sports venue. Its opening took business away from the Hollywood Sportatorium in nearby Broward County and eventually led to that venue's demolition. The arena was designed by Lloyd Jones Fillpot Associates, with structural engineering by Walter P. Moore, and built by Linbeck Construction Company. The arena's distinctive pink exterior earned it the nickname 'The Pink Elephant.' The arena was the home of the Miami Heat from their inaugural NBA season in 1988 to 1999, and the first game played by the Heat in their new home was a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, 111-91, on November 5, 1988. The first victory came a month and a half later against the Utah Jazz, 101-80. The Florida Panthers of the NHL called the arena home from 1993 to 1998, during which time the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996, their third season of existence. The University of Miami basketball teams used the arena from 1988 to 2003, and the arena also hosted the Miami Hooters of the Arena Football League from 1993 to 1995, the Miami Matadors of the ECHL in 1998, and the Miami Manatees of the WHA2 in 2003. The arena hosted the 1990 NBA All-Star Game, the 1991 WWF Royal Rumble, and the 1994 NCAA men's basketball tournament. By the late 1990s, the arena was considered too small and lacked the luxury suites that newer arenas offered. The Miami Heat moved to the new American Airlines Arena, now Kaseya Center, in 1999, and the Florida Panthers had already moved to the National Car Rental Center, now Amerant Bank Arena, in suburban Sunrise in 1998. The arena continued to host occasional events but fell into disuse. The city sold the arena to Arena Ventures, LLC, in 2004 for $28 million, and it was demolished from August to October 2008. The site is now a parking lot for the Miami Marlins' LoanDepot Park, which opened in 2012.

Miami Arena was known as 'The Pink Elephant' for its distinctive pink exterior, a color choice that made it one of the most recognizable buildings in Miami. The arena was the first home of the Miami Heat, who played their inaugural NBA game there on November 5, 1988, losing to the Los Angeles Clippers 111-91, with their first victory coming a month and a half later against the Utah Jazz, 101-80. The arena hosted the 1990 NBA All-Star Game, won by the East 138-133, with MVP honors going to Magic Johnson. The Florida Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996, their third season of existence, while calling Miami Arena home, one of the most remarkable expansion team runs in NHL history. The arena also hosted the 1991 WWF Royal Rumble, won by Hulk Hogan, and the 1994 NCAA men's basketball tournament. The arena was the home of the University of Miami basketball teams from 1988 to 2003, and hosted a remarkable variety of other teams, including the Miami Hooters of the Arena Football League, the Miami Matadors of the ECHL, the Miami Manatees of the WHA2, and the Florida Hammerheads of Roller Hockey International. The arena's opening took business away from the Hollywood Sportatorium in Broward County and eventually led to that venue's demolition. The arena was sold to Arena Ventures, LLC, in 2004 for $28 million and demolished from August to October 2008, with the west wall being the last to fall on October 21, 2008. The site is now a parking lot for the Miami Marlins' LoanDepot Park, which opened in 2012.