Looking for section numbers and the best seats by level? See the Amerant Bank Arena Seating Chart.
It is home to the Florida Panthers.
The Panthers' arena in Sunrise, under its sixth name
Amerant Bank Arena is the county-owned arena at 1 Panther Parkway in Sunrise, in western Broward County beside the Sawgrass Expressway. It is home to the Florida Panthers, the NHL club that won the Stanley Cup on this ice in 2024 and again in 2025, and it is a regular stop for arena tours, Latin music headliners, boxing and family shows. It holds 19,250 for hockey, 20,737 for basketball and about 23,000 for concerts, figures the Panthers published in July 2026. For hockey, the best seats are the lower-level center-ice sections, 101–102 and 134 on the bench side or 117–119 across the ice, from about row 10 up.
Searchers still use several older names. The building opened in 1998 as the National Car Rental Center, then became the Office Depot Center (2002), the BankAtlantic Center (2005), the BB&T Center (2012) and, after that deal lapsed in 2021, the interim FLA Live Arena. Amerant Bank was announced as the naming partner on September 19, 2023. Sections, gates and lots are the same under every name.
Seating layout: 100s, clubs and 300s
Section numbers here come from TickPick's Panthers seating guide, checked against the arena's own premium-seating names.
Lower level (100s)
The lower bowl wraps the glass. The Panthers bench is in front of section 102 and the visitors' bench in front of 134, so 101, 102 and 134 form center ice on the bench side. The penalty box sits in front of 118, which puts 117–119 at center ice on the opposite side. Florida attacks the net in front of sections 125 and 127 in the first and third periods.
Club seating
The arena counts 2,623 club seats and 70 suites. The Lexus Club occupies center-ice rows in 101–102 and 134 with all-inclusive food and drink. The Corona Beach House, club sections C6–C13, sits behind the net at the end Florida defends twice. Other club sections run C1–C5 and C14–C35. The Amerant Vault, a lounge of more than 12,000 square feet with a center-ice view, opened in 2012 as Club Red.
Club level and the 300s
The arena has no 200-numbered sections: above the Plaza come a ring of suites and the Club level (Club 01–35, per the arena's seating maps), which gives height without the upper-deck climb. The 300s are the top bowl; 301–302, 317–319 and 334 are its center sections, and Lord Stanley's Loft, an all-inclusive area, fills 328–330 behind the net at Florida's attack-twice end.
Best seats for hockey and concerts, and seats to avoid
Panthers hockey
- Best overall: center ice in 101–102, 134 or 117–119, row 10 or higher, so the glass and benches are below your sight line.
- Watch Florida score: 125–127 at the attack-twice end, usually priced below center ice.
- Height without the upper deck: club seats along the sidelines, between the suites and the 300s.
- Best value: the front rows of 301–302, 317–319 and 334.
- All-inclusive: the Lexus Club for the view, the Corona Beach House or Lord Stanley's Loft for the social scene.
Concerts
With the stage at one end, the floor center and the lower sideline sections nearest the stage are the closest views. Lower-level sections at the far end face the stage straight on and show the full production; upper-level sides near the stage are the weakest seats once the side angle sharpens.
Seats to think twice about
- Rows 1–9 behind the benches: close to the players, but the bench area and glass interrupt the view.
- Upper corners and upper ends: the farthest seats in the building.
- Low rows behind either net: the far end of the ice is hard to judge.
Amerant Bank Arena parking and getting to Sunrise
Sunrise is a driving destination; most fans arrive by car, and the arena sits right off the Sawgrass Expressway. The arena's parking page lists general lots A and D, club lots B, C and F, a garage, valet, the Amerant Vault lot and the DEX VIP executive lot. Buses and limos use Lot D2.
- Price: the arena posts a gate rate for general A and D lot parking at Panthers games and prices other events separately; rates change, so check before you drive.
- Prepay: the arena sells parking in advance through SeatGeek for Panthers games and concerts.
- Lots open: generally two hours before puck drop and close one hour after the game, per the Panthers.
- Rideshare: enter at Gate 3 and use the North Pedestrian Walkway entrance; exit through Gate 2.
- Accessible parking: North ADA (Gates 1, 2 or 5) and South ADA (Gates 1 or 7), first come, first served.
Leaving the lots after a sellout is the slowest part of the night. Waiting 20 minutes inside often beats queuing in the car.
Bag policy and entry rules, as of 2026
Two published rules apply, and the stricter one governs Panthers games. The Panthers' game-day FAQ, dated July 2026, says purses, backpacks and sling or cinch bags are not allowed at hockey games; small clutches up to 4 by 6 by 1.5 inches are permitted, and diaper, breast-pump and medical bags are allowed after screening. The arena's general security page allows bags up to 12 by 12 inches, with anything over 4 by 6 inches sent through X-ray, and that broader rule may apply at some concerts. Bag lockers are at the foot of the Publix Plaza stairs, for a fee.
- Doors: 60 minutes before puck drop for most regular-season games.
- Re-entry: not permitted.
- Payment: cashless for food, drink and merchandise.
- Water: one unopened plastic bottle per guest.
- Strollers: generally not permitted inside.
Read the arena's security policies and the event page before you go.
From 26-month build to back-to-back Cups
The arena was built for about 185 million dollars, almost entirely with public money, after Broward County approved construction in February 1996. Ellerbe Becket had 26 months to design and deliver it for the 1998–99 NHL season. It opened on October 3, 1998, with a Celine Dion concert, and the Panthers won their first game there on October 9, 4–1 over Tampa Bay. Before that, the club had played at Miami Arena.
- 2003 and 2023: NHL All-Star Games.
- 2001 and 2015: NHL Entry Drafts.
- 2023: Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.
- 2024: Game 7 of the Final and the Panthers' first Cup, clinched at home.
- 2025: a second Cup, again clinched in Sunrise in Game 6.
The building has also become a major stop for Latin music, hosting the Latin Billboard Music Awards in 2020 and record-setting shows by Marco Antonio Solís and Juan Luis Guerra in 2023. Wikipedia describes it as the largest arena in Florida. Its Wikipedia entry covers the full event history.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amerant Bank Arena the same as FLA Live Arena or the BB&T Center?
Yes. The same Sunrise arena was the BB&T Center from 2012, FLA Live Arena after 2021, and Amerant Bank Arena since September 2023.
What is Amerant Bank Arena's capacity?
As of July 2026 the Panthers list 19,250 for hockey, 20,737 for basketball and about 23,000 for concerts.
What is the Amerant Bank Arena bag policy?
For Panthers games, only clutches up to 4 by 6 by 1.5 inches plus medical, diaper and breast-pump bags are allowed. Check the event page, since other events may follow the arena's 12-by-12-inch rule.
Where do you park at Amerant Bank Arena?
Rates are posted on the arena's parking page and vary by event and lot. General parking is in Lots A and D, and prepaying through SeatGeek saves time at the gate.
Where do the Panthers shoot twice?
According to TickPick's seating guide, Florida attacks the net in front of sections 125 and 127 in the first and third periods.
Can you leave Amerant Bank Arena and come back?
No. Re-entry is not permitted once your ticket is scanned.