New Name for Arena on the Bay

The Tampa Bay Lightning will have a new name for their home arena. Benchmark International Arena. This rebranding marks the end of a decade-long partnership with Amalie Motor Oil and ushers in a fresh identity for one of the NHL’s most iconic venues.

Benchmark International, a global mergers and acquisitions firm headquartered in Tampa, brings not only its name but also a commitment to community investment. The partnership includes over $3 million in nonprofit contributions aimed at supporting health, education, and hunger initiatives in the region.

Since its opening in 1996, the arena has undergone several name changes, each reflecting a different era in Tampa Bay sports history:

Year	Arena Name	Notes
1996–2002	Ice Palace	Original name upon opening
2002–2012	St. Pete Times Forum	Named after the local newspaper
2012–2014	Tampa Bay Times Forum	Reflecting the paper’s rebranding
2014–2025	Amalie Arena	Named after Amalie Oil Company
2025–	Benchmark International Arena	Current name, honoring a Tampa-based M&A firm

Before settling into their downtown home, the Lightning played in a series of temporary venues:

• Expo Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds (1992–1993)   A modest 11,000-seat venue where the Lightning stunned the Chicago Blackhawks in their first regular-season game.

• Florida Suncoast Dome / Thunderdome (1993–1996)   Located in St. Petersburg, this baseball-designed stadium was reconfigured for hockey. It’s now known as Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

  
  

These early years were marked by scrappy determination and a growing fan base, laying the groundwork for the franchise’s eventual success—including three Stanley Cup championships.

The Benchmark International Arena will undergo a phased rebranding, including:

• New exterior and interior signage

• Digital integrations

• Renaming of the premium club level to the Benchmark International Club Level, featuring “The Mark” as its signature all-inclusive experience.

Finally, lets take a look at what the center ice layout could look like with the new branding. This is just our guess. We have not seen any official layouts at this time.