Struck By Lightning

Official Review by JC De la Torre, Stadium Journey Correspondent

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Nestled on scenic Channelside Drive in Downtown Tampa, the St. Pete Times Forum, formerly known as the Ice Palace, is a beautiful place to watch any event, but especially what the building was created for – hockey.

Food & Beverage   5/5

If you want a drink, the Forum is definitely your place. There are bars on the main and upper concourses, as well as in the club section.

There are plenty of restaurants within the building, including Outback Steakhouse, Ceviche Spanish Cuisine, Bar-B-Que and Mr. Empanada.

There’s also a sports bar at the arena, Shots, located underneath the main entrance of the building.

Atmosphere   5/5

Lightning games used to be one of the more exciting sporting events you could do in the bay area. With the team’s ownership issues and fire sale of players, interest had waned a little bit in the franchise.

Now that the team is back in playoff contention, the Lightning fans have begun to come back in full force. On the night we attended, the Lightning had one of their best crowds of the season.

The Lightning also do a lot to entertain the fans before, during, and after the game. Before the game, the outer plaza area has many games, attractions, and of course, an outdoor tiki bar. Games include Guitar Hero, bean back toss, Goalie shot, and other assorted games.

On this night, the Stanley Cup itself was on display and fans had an opportunity to take pictures with the most storied trophy in sports.

During the game, the Lightning have a “pep group” that includes cheerleaders, games to win tickets and other prizes, and guys with shirt bazookas firing out t-shirts and toys into the crowd. The crowd is also entertained by videos from the massive scoreboard descending from the room of the Forum.

After the game, a rock concert by a local band entertained the crowd as they left for the night.

Neighborhood   4/5

The St. Pete Times Forum is nestled on Channelside drive in downtown Tampa, just down the street from a major retail development – the Channelside district. Channelside district offers dozens of restaurants, clubs and other fun spots for fans to eat and be entertained. It also is where large cruise ships dock in Tampa Bay, making the view more interesting and scenic.

The Forum is also minutes from Ybor City, the nightclub hub for the Tampa Bay area.

In the immediate area, there are a few bars and restaurants. Hot Tuna has replaced Anreychuk's(490 Channelside Dr), and features a full bar, outdoor seating, and plenty of big screen tv's inside. Located directly across the street from the Forum, its’ convenient location and quick service make it a perfect stop before or after a game.

Fans   4/5

As with most groups of fans in the Tampa Bay market, you can typically expect many Northerners that have transplanted to the bay area supporting their own team. On this particular night, with the Atlanta Thrashers in town, the fans were definitely all pro-Lightning.

Tampa Bay Lightning fans were among the best and most enthusiastic in the league from 2004 to 2008, but after the team had a rough time with ownership squabbles and the team selling off some of the best players, attendance began to wane. The fans have slowly come back now that the team has a new set of stars and are once again in playoff contention.

The fans are well behaved, cheer at the appropriate times and jeer when needed. While hockey purists enjoy taking shots at fans in the South, the transient nature of the Tampa Bay community make this group as hockey-knowledgeable as any in the North.

Access   3/5

Access to the Forum can sometimes be a challenge. While there’s plenty of lots to park, getting to the area can sometimes leave you in a large traffic jam if it is a well attended game.

There’s really no public transportation, with the exception of a trolley that takes you to and from the Forum and the Channelside district.

On most nights, you can weave through the downtown streets and get to where you need to go, but there are times when getting to the Forum can definitely be a pain.

Return on Investment   5/5

Lightning ticket prices are among the cheapest in the NHL. For just $10, you can get an upper deck seat that has great sight lines.

Prices for beer and other amenities at the forum are industry standard and the excitement of the game, the environment and the crowd makes attending a game at the forum inexpensive and fun.

Extras   4/5

The Lightning boasts one of the largest banners in hockey for their 2004 Stanley Cup championship. Banners also hang for division championships and World Championships for the Arena League Tampa Bay Storm.

Music is a mixture of classic hockey organ music, today’s hits, and rocking oldies.

The Lightning take the ice during pre-game introductions to AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” and are accompanied by an impressive laser light show.

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