VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

{{Short description|Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, United States}}

{{Infobox venue

| name = VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

| nickname =

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| fullname =

| former names = Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena {{small|(2003–19)}}

| logo_image = File:VyStar_Veterans_Memorial_Arena.jpg

| image = Vystar Veterans 2023.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| image_alt =

| caption = Entrance to the arena

| address = 300 A Philip Randolph Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32202-2218

| location =

| coordinates = {{Coord|30|19|32.77|N|81|38|42.25|W|region:US-FL_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| broke_ground = {{Start date|2001|11|27}}

| built =

| opened = {{Start date|2003|11|28}}

| renovated =

| expanded =

| closed =

| mapframe = no

| demolished =

| owner = City of Jacksonville

| operator = ASM Gobal

| surface =

| scoreboard =

| production =

| cost = $130 million
{{small|(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|130000000|2001}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})}}

| architect = HOK Sport

| project_manager = {{hlist|Gilbane|Renaissance|Scheer}}

| structural engineer = Bliss & Nyitray, Inc.

| services engineer = {{hlist|Limbach Engineering|Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.|Bessent, Hammack & Ruckman}}

| general_contractor = {{hlist|Turner|Perry-McCall|Northside}}

| main_contractors =

| seating_type =

| capacity = Concerts: 15,000
Basketball: 14,091{{cite web |title=Pregame Stuff: UF vs Eckerd (exhibition), 7 p.m. at Jacksonville|first=Chris|last=Harry|url=https://floridagators.com/news/2016/10/17/chris-harry-pregame-stuff-uf-vs-eckerd-exhibition-7-pm-at-jacksonville.aspx|website=Official Website of the Florida Gators|publisher=University Athletics Association|date=October 25, 2016|access-date=March 26, 2019}}
Ice Hockey: 13,141{{cite press release |title=Jacksonville Icemen Begin Their Season in Florida October 2017|url=https://www.jacksonvilleicemen.com/en/news/2017/2/jacksonville-icemen-begin-their-season-in-florida-october-2017-257|website=Official Website of the Jacksonville Icemen|date=February 8, 2017|access-date=March 26, 2019}}
Arena Football: 13,011{{cite web |title=Jacksonville Sharks|url=http://www.nationalarenaleague.com/teams/nal-team-directory/245-jacksonville-sharks.html|website=National Arena League|access-date=March 26, 2019}}

| suites =

| record_attendance =

| dimensions =

| field_shape =

| acreage =

| volume =

| tenants = Jacksonville Dolphins (NCAA) (2003–2015)
Jacksonville Barracudas (WHA2/SPHL) (2003–2007)
Jacksonville Giants (ABA) (2010–2022)
Jacksonville Sharks (AFL/NAL/IFL) (2010–present)
Jacksonville Bullies (PLL) (2012)
Jacksonville Breeze (LFL) (2013–2014)
Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL) (2017–present)

| embedded =

| website = {{URL|http://www.vystarveteransarena.com/|Venue Website}}

| publictransit = {{rint|monorail}} Jacksonville Skyway
at James Weldon Johnson Park

}}

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena{{cite web |url=https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-approves-vystar-naming-rights-agreement |title=City approves VyStar naming rights agreement |last1=Marbut |first1=Max |date=March 14, 2019 |website=Financial News & Daily Record |publisher=Observer Media Group |access-date=March 31, 2019}} (originally Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena) is a multi-purpose arena located in Jacksonville, Florida. It currently serves as the home arena of the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL, and the Jacksonville Sharks of the Indoor Football League.

About

The arena was built in 2003 as part of the Better Jacksonville Plan to replace the Jacksonville Coliseum.{{cite journal |title=Construction Begins on Sports Arena|first=Lisa R.|last=Schoolcraft|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2001/11/26/daily21.html|journal=Jacksonville Business Journal|publisher=American City Business Journals|date=November 27, 2001|access-date=December 4, 2017}}

On March 12, 2019, a 19–0 vote led to VyStar Credit Union becoming a sponsor for the arena.{{cite news |title=City Council Approves Adding VyStar to Arena Name|first=David|last=Bauerlein|url=https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190312/city-council-approves-adding-vystar-to-arena-name|newspaper=The Florida Times-Union|publisher=GateHouse Media|date=March 12, 2019|access-date=March 16, 2019}} The 15-year agreement includes an annual contribution to a trust fund to support programs for veterans in the city. It is corporately sponsored despite a city ordinance that on its face prohibits the arena from having such a name. The ordinance does not cover any other venues, which allows for two other venues in Duval County to have corporate sponsors, most notably TIAA Bank Field.{{cite web |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190207/jacksonville-veterans-memorial-arena-could-soon-have-vystar-in-its-name |title=Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena could soon have VyStar in its name |last1=Bauerlein |first1=David |date=February 7, 2019 |website=The Florida Times-Union |publisher=GateHouse Media |access-date=March 31, 2019}}

=Naming history=

Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena {{small|(November 28, 2003 – March 13, 2019)}}
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena {{small|(March 14, 2019 – present)}}{{cite web |url=https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/city-approves-arena-name-change-to-vystar-veterans-memorial-arena/77-5689d667-c66f-4d86-8729-67892b8590ad |title=City approves arena name change to Vystar Veteran's Memorial Arena |last1=Bailey |first1=Crystal |date=March 12, 2019 |website=WTLV |publisher=Tegna Inc. |access-date=March 31, 2019}}

Events and history

The arena was designed, using state-of-the-art techniques, to have the acoustical characteristics necessary for concerts.Sources for construction:

{{cite web |title=Jacksonville Arena - Jacksonville, FL|url=http://limbachinc.com/projects/entertainmentleisure/jacksonville-arena-jacksonville-fl|publisher=Limbach, Inc.|date=August 2013|access-date=March 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806135244/http://limbachinc.com/projects/entertainmentleisure/jacksonville-arena-jacksonville-fl |archive-date=August 6, 2013}}
{{cite web |title=Jacksonville Hockey Team Gets a Record-Setting New Home|first=David|last=Broughton|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2003/12/20031201/Facilities/Jacksonville-Hockey-Team-Gets-A-Record-Setting-New-Home.aspx|work=Sports Business Daily|publisher=Advance Publications|date=December 1, 2003|access-date=October 31, 2012}}
{{cite web |title=Arenas|url=http://populous.com/projects/type/arenas/|publisher=Populous|access-date=March 20, 2015}}
{{cite web |title=Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena|url=http://www.bniengineers.com/sports-entertainment/jacksonville-veterans-memorial-arena/|publisher=Bliss & Nyitray, Inc.|access-date=March 20, 2015}} The first artist to hold a concert in the Arena was Elton John in November 2003. Since that time, dozens of groups, including country, rap, rock, and others, have performed at the arena.

=Ice hockey=

The arena was home to the Jacksonville Barracudas ice hockey team from 2003 to 2007 until they relocated to a smaller hockey arena in the area.{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}}

=Olympics=

Sporting events hosted include the 2004 USA Men's Olympic basketball team in their only game played in the United States, as well as some early round games of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2006, 2010, 2015, and 2019.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

=UFC=

The arena held UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje, UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira, and UFC on ESPN: Overeem vs. Harris, and three consecutive Ultimate Fighting Championship events in May 2020, the first major sporting events to be held in the country after restrictions to slow the COVID-19 pandemic went into effect in March.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/29189625/1000-tests-32-fights-one-wild-ride|title=Behind the scenes at UFC Jacksonville: 1,000 tests, 32 fights and one wild ride|work=ESPN.com|author=Marc Raimondi and Brett Okamoto|date=2020-05-23|access-date=2020-08-20}} In April 2021 it hosted UFC 261: Usman vs. Masvidal 2, in front of the largest crowd for an indoor sport in more than a year after Florida lifted their restrictions.{{cite news|title=UFC 261 results, highlights: Kamaru Usman pounds Jorge Masvidal with vicious knockout to retain title |work=CBS Sports|first=Brian|last=Campbell|date=April 25, 2021|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/ufc-261-results-highlights-kamaru-usman-pounds-jorge-masvidal-with-vicious-knockout-to-retain-title/live/|accessdate=July 24, 2022}} In April 2022, it hosted UFC 273: Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie.{{cite news|title=UFC 273 results, highlights: Alexander Volkanovski retains featherweight title with TKO of Korean Zombie|work=CBS Sports|first=Brian|last=Campbell|date=April 10, 2022|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/ufc-273-results-highlights-alexander-volkanovski-retains-featherweight-title-with-tko-of-korean-zombie/live/|accessdate=July 24, 2022}} The UFC returned to the arena in June 2023 for UFC on ABC: Emmett vs. Topuria.{{cite news|title=UFC Fight Night results, highlights: Ilia Topuria batters Josh Emmett for wide decision, calls for title shot |work=CBS Sports|first=Shakiel|last=Mahjouri|date=June 24, 2023|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/ufc-fight-night-results-highlights-ilia-topuria-batters-josh-emmett-for-wide-decision-calls-for-title-shot/|accessdate=June 24, 2023}}

=Professional wrestling=

On October 17, 2006, an episode of ECW on Sci-Fi was held in the arena.{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/ecw-wwe/061017.html|title=ECW on Sci-Fi: October 17, 2006}} In 2007, the arena held the WWE pay-per-view event One Night Stand in 2007. As of {{CURRENTYEAR}}, it is the only WWE pay-per-view the arena hosted. However, the arena still hosts various Raw and SmackDown shows.

=AFL=

The arena found huge success when the arena became the home of the Jacksonville Sharks in 2010 when they were introduced as an expansion team of the Arena Football League. The team was founded by former Orlando Predators executive Jeff Bouchy, who is also the brother of former Orlando Predators owner Brett Bouchy. The Sharks generally have maintained the highest attendance among the arena's regular tenants.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

=ABA=

The arena hosted the 2011 ABA All-Star Game, which took place on February 26, 2011.{{cite web|last=Pascucci|first=Gianni|date=November 23, 2010|title=2010-2011 ABA All-Star Game Awarded to Jacksonville, Florida|url=https://www.usbasket.com/ABA/basketball.aspx?NewsID=209628|access-date=March 20, 2015|work=US Basket}}

=PLL=

In 2012, the arena was home to the Jacksonville Bullies of the Professional Lacrosse League.{{cite news|last=Ferry|first=Jennifer|date=July 26, 2012|title=Jacksonville's First Professional, Indoor Lacrosse Team to Launch in September|newspaper=Jacksonville Business Journal|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2012/07/26/jacksonvilles-first-professional.html|access-date=March 20, 2015}}

=LFL=

In 2013 and 2014, it was home to the Jacksonville Breeze of the Legends Football League.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

=Concerts=

In 2016, Rihanna opened her Anti World Tour at the arena, which attracted an audience of 11,000 people.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

On December 1, 2019 Ariana Grande held a concert at the arena, which was part of her Sweetener World Tour.{{Cite web |title=Ariana Grande: Sweetener World Tour |url=https://www.vystarveteransarena.com/events/2019/ariana-grande-sweetener-world-tour |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=www.vystarveteransarena.com |language=en}}

Monster Jam came to the arena in 2018, and again the following year.

=Other events=

The arena was scheduled to host days 2-4 of the 2020 Republican National Convention from August 25 to August 27, originally to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina.{{cite web|author=Linskey, Annie|date=June 11, 2020|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republicans-announce-trump-convention-events-will-move-to-jacksonville/2020/06/11/e8023372-ac22-11ea-a9d9-a81c1a491c52_story.html|title=Republicans announce Trump convention events will move to Jacksonville|newspaper=The Washington Post}} However, these plans were ultimately cancelled to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite news|date=2020-07-23|title=Trump cancels Republican convention as virus soars|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53521896|access-date=2020-07-23}}

The arena was the host for the Davis Cup first round tie between the US and Brazil on the weekend of February 1–3, 2013. It has hosted PBR Built Ford Tough Series events in the past.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}