Fort Lauderdale, Florida Panthers unveil state-of-the-art 144,000 sq. ft. hockey facility

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The City of Fort Lauderdale and Mayor Dean Trantalis celebrated Wednesday the opening of the Florida Panthers new Baptist IcePlex practice facility located at FTL War Memorial in Holiday Park.

“The wait is over, #FTL. This afternoon, we snipped the ribbon on the Baptist Heath IcePlex at Holiday Park – a major step toward the revitalization of the FTL War Memorial complex,” the city said. “This venue has a public place for skating, recreational & youth hockey, other sports and fitness activities, AND a state-of-the-art practice facility for our Florida Panthers.”

The Panthers’ 144,000 sq. ft. practice facility features two NHL-regulation sized ice rinks, five curling lanes, a 26’X15′ LED display and color kinetic lighting. The complex also includes a 7,500 Florida Panthers retail shop, concession stands, multi-use party rooms, and 11 locker rooms.

“This project is not just about restoring a building, it’s about transforming our community. [It’s about] creating a vibrant destination for sports, entertainment, and recreation. Fort Lauderdale is once again a sports destination,” Trantalis said.

Along with Trantalis and other local officials, the celebration was attended by NHL [National Hockey League] Commissioner Gary Bettman.

“In addition to the fact that this is a magnificent facility,” Commissioner Bettman said, “one of the things the NHL prides itself on is our teams making a difference in the lives of the people in the communities in which they play. I don’t think there can be any better example than what we’re looking at here, and what is coming over the summer. … This is a great day for Fort Lauderdale and for Broward County. And it is the beginning of many, many, great things to come.”

The Panthers, who currently own a 45-19-4 record, play their regular season home games in nearby Sunrise, Florida at Amerant Bank Arena. Playing in the NHL’s Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference, the team is currently in second place with 94 points, just behind the first-place Boston Bruins.

Additionally, the Panthers’ 94 points are third-most in the NHL while their 45-wins are second-best, just behind the league leading New York Rangers.

Founded in 1993, the Panthers are searching for their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The team is one of 11 NHL franchises to never win a Stanley Cup championship, which includes the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets, and Arizona Coyotes.

Notably, the Panthers reached the cup final last season before losing to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Looking to help the Panthers get back to the Stanley Cup are Center Sam Reinhart, who leads the team with 48 goals, and Right Wing Matthew Tkachuk, who leads the team with 54 assists.

“This is a historic moment for our franchise. For the community, as well,” Florida Panthers President Matthew Caldwell said. “We are Broward County’s sports team. We’re all about Broward County. We’re all in.”

Now, from Sunrise to Fort Lauderdale, and all in between, the Panthers have another home to skate in as they seek their first NHL title.

“Imagine having a park like this when you were a kid. It’s unbelievable,” Panthers General Manager Bill Zito said. “There’s so much to do. You can tell from the community chit-chat that happened before the event just how much the people really appreciate this and are going to use this. Kids that want to play hockey are going to be able come here and learn. If that isn’t enough, now we have this beautiful home for our team.”