TAMPA – The home of the Tampa Bay Lightning has a new name.
The hockey team will now play at Benchmark International Arena.Â
The backstory:
Benchmark International is a global acquisitions firm that has been based in Tampa since 2010.
The deal included $3 million in joint nonprofit contributions to benefit the Tampa Bay community.
“They are somebody who really thinks about investing in the community and giving back and making an impact to the local Tampa Bay community,” said Benchmark International CEO Tyrus O’Neill. “All of those things really resonate with who we are, what our brand is, and what we want to do in the future. Admittedly, this is going to be a great platform for our business as well when it comes to the investment side of it.”
The arena was built in 1996 and has gone through multiple name changes over the years, starting off as the Ice Palace. In 2002, the then St. Pete Times bought the naming rights, and then it became the Amalie Arena in 2014.
Tracking the Tropics: Tropical Storm Erin could be major hurricane by this weekend
The arena has hosted four Stanley Cup finals, at which the Lightning clinched the Stanley Cup championship twice.
The Lightning began searching for a new naming-rights sponsor about a year ago.
“It’s not your traditional consumer brand,” said Lightning CEO Steven Griggs. “But the more time we spent with Stephen and his team, we knew there was perfect alignment with their vision and values and what they’re trying to do as an organization. And so for us, it was a perfect time, perfect moment.”
Amalie’s contract ended this year.
Dig deeper:
The arena will undergo a complete rebranding with new signage inside and out, digital integrations and the official renaming of its premium club level as the Benchmark International Club Level, featuring “The Mark” as its signature all-inclusive experience.
The team says renovations are not necessarily imminent, but they have discussed with Hillsborough County what potential next steps could be taken to make sure the building remains first-class.
While some digital rebranding can be done right away, the goal is to have the majority of new signage up by the Lightning’s regular season opener on Oct. 9.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed during Wednesday morning’s press conference, but Lightning CEO Steve Griggs said it is “standard length.”
The Source: Information for this story was obtained through a news conference Wednesday morning in Tampa and past stories.