Highlights
Christened Dec. 31, 1999 with a concert by Gloria Estefan, American Airlines Arena is home to the NBA's Miami Heat and a venue for concerts, family shows, and theatrical performances. The modern arena, designed by Miami architecture firm Arquitectonica and arena designers Heinlein & Schrock, is located at 601 Biscayne Blvd., and overlooks Biscayne Bay in downtown Miami. The $213 million American Airlines Arena, owned by Miami-Dade County, was the result of years of political wrangling and disputes between Miami Heat owner Micky Arison and H. Wayne Huizenga, owner of the NHL's Florida Panthers, whose teams shared the Heat's original home, Miami Arena. Both team owners decided to abandon th...
Christened Dec. 31, 1999 with a concert by Gloria Estefan, American Airlines Arena is home to the NBA's Miami Heat and a venue for concerts, family shows, and theatrical performances. The modern arena, designed by Miami architecture firm Arquitectonica and arena designers Heinlein & Schrock, is located at 601 Biscayne Blvd., and overlooks Biscayne Bay in downtown Miami. The $213 million American Airlines Arena, owned by Miami-Dade County, was the result of years of political wrangling and disputes between Miami Heat owner Micky Arison and H. Wayne Huizenga, owner of the NHL's Florida Panthers, whose teams shared the Heat's original home, Miami Arena. Both team owners decided to abandon the pink oval arena less than a decade after it opened because it didn't have revenue-generating luxury suites and club seats. The two owners initially planned to share a new home in Broward County, but Miami-Dade County business and political leaders urged the Heat to stay in Miami and a bayside arena plan was forged in March 1996 that relied on a combination of private money, hotel taxes and a state sales tax rebate to pay for the building. But just days before Miami-Dade County voters were to consider a ballot measure on the plan, a new deal was struck with Miami-Dade County newly elected mayor, Alex Penelas, who had campaigned against public financing for the arena. The new plan called for the Heat to cover most of the financing with the help of a $60 million state sales tax rebate and the county kicking in $6.4 million a year for arena maintenance and operation. The county also paid $37 million to the city for the land. The deal required voters to vote No on the referendum and on Nov. 5, 1996, voters rejected the measure by a 65 percent to 35 percent vote. In October 1997, American Airlines purchased the naming rights to the arena for $42 million over 20 years. Ground was broken in January 1998. On Nov. 13, ironworkers cutting steel accidentally sparked a blaze during construction when molten metal fell on plywood. The fire caused only superficial damage. American Airlines Arena, which seats 19,600 for basketball games, includes 20 center court suites each with balconies, 54 loge premium seats, and six exclusive Starbox suites located under the lower bowl seating that come with seats on the court. It opened on New Year's Eve in 1999 with Estefan's concert and the first Heat game in the building was held on Jan. 2, 2000. It served as home to the WNBA's Miami Sol from 2000 until 2002, when the team folded. Madonna, U2, Cher, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Britney Spears, Shakira and Phish are among the acts that have played the arena. The building has also hosted the Harlem Globetrotters, Disney on Ice, WWE and the Wiggles. The arena played host to the 2004 and 2005 MTV Music Video Awards. It can be transformed into the Waterfront Theatre for smaller concerts and theatrical performances for up to 5,600 patrons. The Heat won the NBA Championship in 2006, playing NBA Finals games 3, 4, and 5 at American Airlines Arena, before winning the championship in Dallas in Game 6. The arena is scheduled to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament in March 2009.
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Isiah Thomas bringing struggling Florida International squad to Maryland
Isiah Thomas can recall facing Maryland once in his college basketball career, as a sophomore guard at Indiana in the NCAA tournament "the year we won it."
That would have been in 1981, when the Hoosiers crushed the Terps by 35 points in the second...Tags: Indiana Hoosiers, Florida International Golden Panthers, Isiah Thomas, NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament, Detroit Pistons
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Planners see arena reviving west side
Sun ReporterBy choosing to build a new arena on the west side of downtown, Baltimore is placing a $300 million bet on an area that has long struggled to come to life. One problem has been 1st Mariner Arena itself, a 46-year-old albatross with only one entrance and...Tags: University of Maryland, College Park, Architecture, Television, Barnes & Noble, Inc., 1st Mariner Arena
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Celtics get back in series with 101-91 victory over Heat
BOSTON — This time neither the third quarter nor LeBron James could save the Miami Heat. This time Dwyane Wade started slow and never fully found his stride. This time the Boston Celtics got something from their bench, an equitable share of foul...Tags: Paul Pierce, Erik Spoelstra, Keyon Dooling, Mike Miller, Dwyane Wade
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ASK IRA: Is Doc Rivers getting the upper hand?
SunSentinel.comAsk Ira! SunSentinel Heat Writer Ira Winderman answers YOUR questions about the team! You can read his latest comments below. To submit your question, e-mail here. Please include your name, city and state with each question. --------------------...Tags: Kendrick Perkins, Paul George, Kenneth Faried, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mike Miller
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Series schedule: Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat
South Florida Sun SentinelBoston Celtics vs. Miami Heat (Best-of-7 NBA playoff Eastern Conference semifinal series) Heat lead 1-0 Game 1: Heat 93, Celtics 79. Game 2: Heat 115, Celtics 111 (OT). Game 3: Celtics 101, Heat 91 Game 4: Sunday June 3 at TD Garden, 8:30 p.m., ESPN...Tags: Boston Celtics, National Basketball Association, TD Garden, Miami Heat, ESPN (tv network)
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Early struggles doom Heat in 101-91 loss; Celtics move within 2-1
South Florida Sun SentinelThis time neither the third quarter nor LeBron James could save the Miami Heat. This time Dwyane Wade started slow and never fully found his stride. This time the Boston Celtics got something from their bench, an equitable share of foul calls and...Tags: Erik Spoelstra, Paul Pierce, Mike Miller, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh
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Heat fan Lil' Wayne banned in Oklahoma City?
South Florida Sun-SentinelIt turns out Lil' Wayne pays to play on his homecourt as well as on the road during the NBA playoffs. A day after the hip-hop star said he was denied courtside seating for a San Antonio Spurs-Oklahoma City Thunder game, which is his typical spot at...Tags: LeBron James, Lil Wayne, Boston Celtics, NBA Playoffs, TD Garden
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Wade says he and LeBron are done with "hero ball"
ReutersThe Sports Xchange NBA Team Report - Miami Heat - GETTING INSIDE From Dwyane Wade's perspective, "hero ball" is a thing of the past. No longer is he trying to do it on his own or standing idly by as teammate LeBron James tries to do it on his own....Tags: Erik Spoelstra, Mike Miller, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Basketball
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Celtics' Allen tries to find ways to cure shooting woes
ReutersThe Sports Xchange Celtics' Allen tries to find ways to cure shooting woes Ray Allen has been getting a lot of unsolicited advice lately. Things got even worse when he went 1-for-7 from the floor in Game 1 against Miami. He snapped out of it to a degree...Tags: Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Miami Heat, Ray Allen, Doc Rivers
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Celtics' great fear? Could be paper cuts
South Florida Sun SentinelNo, rock, paper, scissors won't be the game of choice tonight at AmericanAirlines Arena. And, hopefully, the flame throwers won't be too intense. But when it comes to papering the house with victory, well, the above is one option. (Even though, yes, we... -
Heat rally in second half to beat Celtics in Game 2
MIAMI -- At the outset, this hardly had the feel of a comeback for the ages. But against the aged, Miami survived fourth-quarter disaster and had the legs to pull off a 115-111 overtime victory Wednesday night over the Boston Celtics at...Tags: Dwyane Wade, Basketball, LeBron James, NBA Finals, Boston Celtics
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Miami's Chris Bosh will travel to Boston but won't play in Games 3 and 4
MIAMI — Heat forward Chris Bosh will travel with the team to Boston but will not play against the Celtics in Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Coach Erik Spoelstra said Bosh is traveling so he can continue working with team trainer...Tags: Paul Pierce, Erik Spoelstra, Indiana Pacers, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh
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