Statue of Phil Esposito
Bronze statue honoring Phil Esposito's role in bringing hockey to Tampa.
A bronze statue honoring Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito stands at the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, where it was unveiled on December 31, 2011. The work commemorates Esposito’s role as a co-founder of the Tampa Bay Lightning. At his own request, the statue depicts him in a business suit rather than a player’s uniform, reflecting that he helped bring the franchise to Tampa as a businessman. Esposito holds a hockey stick, wears a tie bearing the Lightning logo, and displays his two Stanley Cup rings on his hands.
The idea for the statue came from Tampa attorney and Lightning fan Stephen K. Stuart, who admired Esposito’s fight to secure the team and believed no one else could have succeeded without his hockey reputation. Stuart raised $60,000 from private donors to fund the project. Production began in 2009 and took nearly three years to complete. Sculptor Steven Dickey of Dickey Studios in Tampa created the statue using the lost wax casting method. Richard Frignoca of Bronzart Foundry, Inc. in Sarasota handled the bronzing, while Jeff Downing of Downing Design in Tampa crafted the hockey puck on which the statue rests.
- Field
- Ice hockey
- Known for
- Co-founding the Tampa Bay Lightning franchise
Lore & Background
The statue portrays Esposito dressed in a business suit, allegedly at his request, because he came into co-founding the Tampa Bay Lightning as a businessman, not a player. Esposito holds a hockey stick, adorns each hand with his two Stanley Cup rings, and wears a tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning logo. The original idea for the statue derived from Tampa attorney and avid Tampa Bay Lightning fan Stephen K. Stuart, who felt that Esposito deserved to be commemorated for his role in getting Tampa a hockey team. With the help of private donors, Stuart raised $60,000 to create the statue. Production of the statue began in 2009, and it took nearly three years to complete. Stuart commissioned sculptor Steven Dickey of Dickey Studios in Tampa to produce the statue. Dickey utilized a process known as lost wax casting to cast the statue. Richard Frignoca of Bronzart Foundry, Inc. in Sarasota bronzed the statue. Additionally, Jeff Downing of Downing Design in Tampa created the hockey puck on which the statue rests.
Reader's Guide
The Statue of Phil Esposito stands as a public tribute to a key figure in the establishment of the Tampa Bay Lightning, a National Hockey League franchise. Its significance lies in commemorating Esposito's off-ice contributions as a co-founder, rather than his on-ice achievements as a Hall-of-Fame player. The statue's design—depicting Esposito in a business suit with Stanley Cup rings and a Lightning-themed tie—reflects his stated identity as a businessman in the franchise's founding. The project was initiated by a local fan and funded entirely through private donations, highlighting grassroots support for Esposito's legacy. The statue's creation involved multiple Tampa-area artisans, including a sculptor, a foundry, and a designer, and took nearly three years to complete. Its placement at Benchmark International Arena ensures visibility to hockey fans and the broader community. The statue serves as a permanent reminder of the civic and entrepreneurial effort required to bring major-league hockey to Tampa, and it remains a point of interest for visitors and a symbol of the franchise's origins.
Did You Know?
- The statue was unveiled on December 31, 2011, at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida.
- The statue was funded by private donors who raised $60,000, initiated by Tampa attorney Stephen K. Stuart.
- Sculptor Steven Dickey used the lost wax casting process to create the statue.
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