However, all of these were either too small for an NHL team to use long term, as their capacities were only 5,800 for Bayfront Arena and 10,425 for the Expo Hall, or would need to undergo extensive renovations to make space for hockey in the case of the Sun Dome (which after renovations would then only have an estimated capacity in the mid-7,000s for hockey, making it too small as well).

Prior to the opening of the Ice Palace, the Lightning spent one season at the Expo Hall,[12] and then moved to the Florida Suncoast Dome, which was renamed the "Thunderdome", in St. Petersburg in 1993.

[citation needed] Naming rights to the arena were sold to the then St. Petersburg Times, the largest local newspaper in the Tampa Bay area.

Other entertainment events occasionally held in the Forum include concerts, NBA exhibition games, USF basketball and NCAA men's and women's basketball tournament games, NCAA Frozen Four games, tennis, professional wrestling, boxing, figure skating, and rodeos (as well as stand-alone bull riding events; the Forum has hosted an event by the PBR's premier tour, the Built Ford Tough Series, annually since 1998).

[citation needed] In 2010, the Tampa Bay Times Forum was ranked as the fourth busiest arena in the United States.

Utilizing an outside area in the back devoted to cooling pipes and recycling bins, a deck was built along with 125 hydroponic towers.

[24] It did not host the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals as all games were held behind closed doors at Edmonton's Rogers Place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the eventual champion Lightning (who defeated the Dallas Stars in six games) did hold watch parties outside the arena for select season ticket holders.

[25] The arena was also the main home of the South Florida Bulls men's basketball team for their 2011–12 season while the USF Sun Dome underwent extensive renovations.

The arena was slated to host an NBA preseason game in 2010 between the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, the league's two Florida teams.

However, months before the game, the arena's basketball floor was treated with an oil-based cleaning solution that resulted in a slippery film forming on it.

[28] For the 2020–21 NBA season, the Toronto Raptors played their home games in Amalie Arena due to travel restrictions imposed by the Canadian government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

[33] On December 18, 2021, Amalie Arena hosted the Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley II boxing pay-per-view event.

[35] It has also held the World Wrestling Federation (now renamed to WWE) pay-per-view event Survivor Series (2000), as well as Extreme Rules (2011) and Battleground (2014).

[36] On July 20, 2024, Amalie Arena hosted the Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry boxing pay-per-view event.

[citation needed] British alternative rock band Coldplay performed a concert at the venue on June 28, 2012, as part of their Mylo Xyloto Tour.