Expo Hall

Lore & Background

Expo Hall opened as part of the Florida State Fairgrounds and was initially used for fair exhibitions. In 1979–80, the South Florida Bulls men's basketball team played their home games there before the USF Sun Dome opened. During the 1983–84 indoor season, the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League used Expo Hall for eight of their sixteen home games, with a capacity of 9,200 at that time. That season proved to be the league's final indoor campaign before suspending operations after the 1984 outdoor season.

The arena gained wider recognition when the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning played their inaugural 1992–93 season at Expo Hall. The facility's seating capacity of 10,425 proved too small, and the team relocated to the ThunderDome in St. Petersburg for three seasons until its permanent home, Benchmark International Arena, was built in downtown Tampa. In 1994, the expansion Tampa Bay Tritons of Roller Hockey International played one season at Expo Hall before folding; the club was owned by Mark Messier.

Expo Hall has also hosted numerous concerts featuring notable entertainers including Robert Plant, REO Speedwagon, Cheap Trick, No Doubt, Green Day, Nine Inch Nails, Peter Frampton, Stone Temple Pilots, Yes, George Michael, Santana, Beastie Boys, Alabama, Motörhead, and the Smashing Pumpkins. Today, the facility primarily hosts graduation ceremonies for Hillsborough County's public high schools.

Reader's Guide

Expo Hall holds significance as a versatile indoor arena that served as a temporary home for multiple professional sports franchises during critical early periods. Its role as the Tampa Bay Lightning's first home rink in 1992–93 is particularly notable, as the team's rapid growth necessitated a move to a larger venue after just one season. The arena also hosted the final indoor season of the North American Soccer League's Tampa Bay Rowdies, marking the end of an era for that league. Additionally, Expo Hall was the site of the Tampa Bay Tritons' sole season in Roller Hockey International, a short-lived expansion team owned by hockey legend Mark Messier. Beyond sports, the venue's concert history includes a wide range of major acts from the 1970s through the 1990s, reflecting its role as a mid-sized entertainment venue in the Tampa area. Its continued use for high school graduations underscores its ongoing community function.

Did You Know?

• The Tampa Bay Lightning played their entire inaugural 1992–93 NHL season at Expo Hall.
• The Tampa Bay Rowdies used Expo Hall for 8 of their 16 home games during the 1983–84 indoor season.
• Mark Messier owned the Tampa Bay Tritons, who played one season at Expo Hall in 1994.
• The South Florida Bulls men's basketball team used Expo Hall as their main home arena for the 1979–80 season.