The first game played by the Heat in their first home was a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, 111–91, on November 5, 1988; the first victory came a month and a half later against the Utah Jazz, 101–80.

In addition, sports teams in general began wanting newer, more updated facilities, specifically luxury suites and new concessions.

In 1998, the Panthers moved into the National Car Rental Center (now Amerant Bank Arena) in Sunrise, near Florida's largest outlet mall, Sawgrass Mills.

In 2004, the arena was sold in a public auction to Glenn Straub, an investor from Palm Beach County, for half of the price the city of Miami paid for its original construction.

On August 3, 2008, Straub announced in a television interview that the interior of the arena had been cleared out and that the building would be demolished by the end of the month.