Me in front of the St Pete Times Forum in Tampa, home to the Tampa Bay Lightning!Nestled deep in downtown Tampa is a building that rises high above most others. It is surrounded by restaurants and Tampa Bay to one side and a university and performing arts center to the other side. It is known as home to the National Hockey League (NHL)’s Tampa Bay Lightning and the Arena Football League’s Tampa Bay Storm. However, it has also served as host to many concerts and basketball tournaments over the years.
It is one of the few places you will find that has a sports bar on-site, along with many across the street and even next to it. It is also located within walking distance from the Florida Aquarium, the Port of Tampa and the Channelside District. According to USF St. Petersburg journalism major Sara Palmer, “I like that it is surrounded by other things to do; you can really make a day of it. You can go to the aquarium, see the Lightning play and then go grab a few beers in Channelside after the game. I enjoy places that have a variety of good fun all within a few blocks.”
It also features good parking, located either on-site or within five blocks of it. According to Jerald Cardin, a 69 year old retired school principal from Alabama, “I like how the parking deck opens right out to the entrance to the arena. Also, it is large enough to accommodate any sporting event or concert and all of the seats (in the arena) are good seats.”
The inside features three main levels of seating. Also, if you go to a Lightning game, there are suites. Many of these are sponsored by players and the Foundations they started. If you are lucky, you are given the chance to sit in the player’s suite and sometimes even meeting the player themselves. There are also close to four televisions that hang from the ceiling. These help those people in the upper deck see what is happening below without needing binoculars. According to USF St. Petersburg senior mass communications major Kaeli Conforti, “I like how it is big enough to hold so many thousands of people but at the same time it’s roomy enough that you don’t notice the crowds as much. I went to the Billy Joel & Elton John concert and even though we were sitting in the “nosebleed section” the big screen TV helped us to see their performance as if we were in the front row. There doesn’t seem to be a bad view in the place and the tickets for their events are always reasonably priced.”
This building is mainly known for its sports, however. From early October to early April, sometimes even later if the team makes the playoffs, it’s home to the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Afterward, the ice comes up and is usually replaced with the fake turf of an arena football field. Even during the season, the ice will come up and be replaced by tile floors for a basketball tournament or a stage for a concert. According to USF St. Petersburg journalism major Olivia Huff, “I like the fact that no matter where you are sitting, you have a great view. It kind of reminds me of a basketball stadium.”
Outside of it is also very nice, especially after a night game. It features a stage area often used during concerts after Tampa Bay Lightning games. Even if the team got killed, it is nice to walk out into the night and hear music hit your ears like an angel singing to you. It also has plenty of room, allowing you to move freely along with a big screen TV that shows the games on the wall of the parking garage. According to Lauren Jackson, a St. Petersburg College graduate student and Registered Nurse, “I like the Tampa Bay Lightning games. All the excitement that they have before the game and interactive things the fans can do are really awesome.”
As you can see, this building is well located. If you aren’t interested in paying up to go see the hockey team play, you can enjoy it in other ways. You can watch the game at a sports bar across the street or even the one located on-site. Afterward, you can catch the post game concert or go down to Channelside for a few drinks. Where am I? Welcome to the St. Pete Times Forum!
It is one of the few places you will find that has a sports bar on-site, along with many across the street and even next to it. It is also located within walking distance from the Florida Aquarium, the Port of Tampa and the Channelside District. According to USF St. Petersburg journalism major Sara Palmer, “I like that it is surrounded by other things to do; you can really make a day of it. You can go to the aquarium, see the Lightning play and then go grab a few beers in Channelside after the game. I enjoy places that have a variety of good fun all within a few blocks.”
It also features good parking, located either on-site or within five blocks of it. According to Jerald Cardin, a 69 year old retired school principal from Alabama, “I like how the parking deck opens right out to the entrance to the arena. Also, it is large enough to accommodate any sporting event or concert and all of the seats (in the arena) are good seats.”
The inside features three main levels of seating. Also, if you go to a Lightning game, there are suites. Many of these are sponsored by players and the Foundations they started. If you are lucky, you are given the chance to sit in the player’s suite and sometimes even meeting the player themselves. There are also close to four televisions that hang from the ceiling. These help those people in the upper deck see what is happening below without needing binoculars. According to USF St. Petersburg senior mass communications major Kaeli Conforti, “I like how it is big enough to hold so many thousands of people but at the same time it’s roomy enough that you don’t notice the crowds as much. I went to the Billy Joel & Elton John concert and even though we were sitting in the “nosebleed section” the big screen TV helped us to see their performance as if we were in the front row. There doesn’t seem to be a bad view in the place and the tickets for their events are always reasonably priced.”
This building is mainly known for its sports, however. From early October to early April, sometimes even later if the team makes the playoffs, it’s home to the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Afterward, the ice comes up and is usually replaced with the fake turf of an arena football field. Even during the season, the ice will come up and be replaced by tile floors for a basketball tournament or a stage for a concert. According to USF St. Petersburg journalism major Olivia Huff, “I like the fact that no matter where you are sitting, you have a great view. It kind of reminds me of a basketball stadium.”
Outside of it is also very nice, especially after a night game. It features a stage area often used during concerts after Tampa Bay Lightning games. Even if the team got killed, it is nice to walk out into the night and hear music hit your ears like an angel singing to you. It also has plenty of room, allowing you to move freely along with a big screen TV that shows the games on the wall of the parking garage. According to Lauren Jackson, a St. Petersburg College graduate student and Registered Nurse, “I like the Tampa Bay Lightning games. All the excitement that they have before the game and interactive things the fans can do are really awesome.”
As you can see, this building is well located. If you aren’t interested in paying up to go see the hockey team play, you can enjoy it in other ways. You can watch the game at a sports bar across the street or even the one located on-site. Afterward, you can catch the post game concert or go down to Channelside for a few drinks. Where am I? Welcome to the St. Pete Times Forum!
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