Amway Arena
The original downtown home that hosted the Magic before the Amway Center opened in 2010.
Amway Arena stood as the original home of the Orlando Magic from their inception until 2010. Originally named Orlando Arena when it opened with a preview event on January 29, 1989, it was later renamed TD Waterhouse Centre in 1999 before becoming Amway Arena in December 2006. Located in Downtown Orlando as part of the Centroplex complex, this indoor arena hosted NBA games, concerts, and events like the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus annually. The facility was entirely publicly financed at a cost of approximately $98 million and featured an intimate design where upper bowl seats remained close to the floor due to a nearly 50/50 split between lower and upper seating.
- Opened
- January 29, 1989 (preview event); first NBA game on November 4, 1989
- Location
- Orlando, Florida
- Original Name
- Orlando Arena
- Capacity
- 17,519 (after 1994-1995 renovation)
- Demolished
- 2012
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Orlando wanted a downtown arena long before the NBA expansion, with the site on West Livingston Street approved in December 1983. Ground broke in January 1987, just four months before the NBA Board of Governors granted Orlando an expansion franchise. General Manager Pat Williams knew an active construction site was critical for league approval. The city voted to begin building before impact studies were filed, prioritizing the arrival of professional basketball. By 1989, the $98 million venue opened with a ribbon-cutting featuring the Orlando Magic Dancers and Curly Neal. In 1991, Performance Magazine voted it "Arena of the Year." The design allowed spectators in the upper bowl to feel close to the action, though luxury suites near the ceiling suffered from poor sightlines. Between 1994 and 1995, original seats were replaced with narrower ones, increasing capacity from 15,291 to 17,519.
In Their Own Story
The arena's naming rights told a story of corporate shifts mirroring the franchise's evolution. In November 1998, the city allowed the Magic to sell naming rights as part of a lease extension. While speculation favored Amway due to owner Rich DeVos's co-founding role, TD Waterhouse purchased the rights for $7.8 million in 1999, renaming it TD Waterhouse Centre. When that deal expired on November 30, 2006, the venue was briefly called "The arena in Orlando" for a week before Amway signed a four-year, $1.5 million contract on December 7, 2006. Financial struggles plagued other tenants; the Orlando Seals were evicted in August 2004 due to rent issues, and the Orlando Jackals folded after their only season. The Magic themselves faced contention with city officials over renovation costs, which reached up to $75 million in estimates, before a new $1.1 billion agreement in 2006 paved the way for their successor.
Reader's Guide
Visiting Amway Arena meant experiencing a venue that lacked modern mid-level luxury seating, a feature standard when construction began but missing by the time it opened. Despite this, attendance remained strong; by 1996, there was a waiting list of 3,700 names for season tickets even after the 1994 seat narrowing. The arena hosted diverse events beyond basketball, including the PlayStation Pro event on the Dew Action Sports Tour and the Orlando Solar Bears of the International Hockey League until the league folded in 2001. For those seeking historical context, the building was demolished in 2012 after its final operation day on September 30, 2010, when operations moved to the new Amway Center. The site's history is marked by a refusal to compete with the Orange County Convention Center, leading to financing delays that pushed opening until the end of the 1980s.
Did You Know?
- The arena was entirely publicly financed at a cost of approximately $98 million.
- Ground broke in January 1987, four months before the NBA officially approved Orlando as an expansion team.
- Between 1994 and 1995, replacing original seats with narrower ones increased capacity from 15,291 to 17,519.
- The venue was temporarily called 'The Arena in Orlando' for about two weeks (December 1 to December 15, 2006) between naming rights contracts.
- Fortune 500 companies like SunTrust and Lockheed Martin did not lease luxury suites due to poor sightlines from their placement near the ceiling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Amway Arena originally called before its final name?
The venue first opened in 1989 as the Orlando Arena and later became the TD Waterhouse Centre before adopting the Amway name in 2006. This naming evolution reflects different corporate sponsorship eras throughout its history.
How long did the Orlando Magic play their home games at this facility?
Amway Arena served as the team's primary home court for nearly two decades, hosting fans from the late 1980s until the franchise moved to a new arena. It was the consistent roof under which the team transitioned from championship contenders to rebuilding phases.
What major NBA event took place at Amway Arena?
The facility is famous for hosting the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, cementing its status as a premier venue in professional basketball history. This event drew national attention and highlighted downtown Orlando's growing sports culture.
How many fans could fit inside Amway Arena for basketball games?
With a seating capacity of approximately 18,000 for basketball, the arena provided an intimate yet electric atmosphere for Magic games. Its size allowed for loud crowds that contributed to its reputation as a difficult place for visiting teams to play.
Why do fans consider Amway Arena important to franchise history?
It represents a specific era where the team's identity evolved while maintaining a consistent downtown home, creating lasting memories for generations of supporters. The arena is remembered as the fortress that echoed with the roar of Magic history before the team relocated.
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