Amerant Bank Arena Sunrise, FL: Seating Sections, Accessibility & Capacity

Quick Facts

Overview

The arena opened in 1998 in western Broward County and has changed corporate names five times since, most recently becoming Amerant Bank Arena in 2023. It’s the home of the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and sits directly across from the Sawgrass Mills shopping complex, which gives it an unusually straightforward pre-show routine for a suburban arena: park, shop, or eat, walk across.

Seating and Layout

• Floor: Configured for concerts as either a standing general admission pit or reserved seating extending across the floor surface.
• 100-Level (Lower Bowl): Surrounds the floor.
• Club level and suites: Includes premium lounges, Corona Beach House seats, and executive suites with upscale catering and private restrooms.
• 300-Level (Upper Bowl): The pitched upper tier, offering wide visual angles at lower price points.

Concert seating maps shift depending on the touring production’s stage design, so it’s worth checking the specific event’s chart before buying. Center lower-bowl sections facing the stage typically offer a balanced combination of proximity and viewing angle, while sections at the far sides of the bowl can face a sharper angle relative to the stage, depending on how a given show’s production is arranged.

Capacity

The arena holds 19,250 for hockey and 20,737 for basketball. Concert capacity is notably higher than either sports figure, reaching up to 23,000 for shows that use extensive floor and standing-room configurations.

Accessibility

The arena is fully ADA-compliant, with wheelchair-accessible platform seating on all tiers. Elevators outside sections 104, 131, 304, and 331 provide dedicated access, along with additional elevators serving the suite and club levels. Restrooms include baby changing stations, and hearing assistance devices are available free at Guest Services in the North Entrance Lobby with ID. A dedicated sensory room on the 300 Level, sponsored by ABA Centers of Florida, offers a calm space with self-soothing tools, and complimentary sensory bags with noise-canceling headphones and fidget items are available first-come, first-served.

Venue Policies

• Bags: The arena enforces a strict no-bag policy. No purses, backpacks, cinch bags, sling bags, or drawstring bags are allowed. Only a small clutch up to 4″ x 6″ is permitted. Medical bags and diaper bags are exceptions, subject to inspection and possible X-ray screening. Sealed or wrapped packages aren’t allowed either, so gifts should be unwrapped before arrival.
• Bag storage: Lockers are available outside the main entrance at the Publix Plaza stairs for anyone arriving with a non-compliant bag.
• Payment: Fully cashless across food, beverage, and retail.
• Smoking: Not permitted anywhere in the building, per the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act, though designated outdoor areas are available.

Because the bag policy here is stricter than at many arenas, and specific tours can add further restrictions, it’s worth checking the venue’s official rules before you go.

Getting There

• Driving: The arena sits right off the Sawgrass Expressway (SR 869) at the Pat Salerno Drive exit, with easy access from I-75, I-595, and I-95.
• Parking: Extensive surface lots surround the venue directly, with more than 7,000 spaces total. Parking is sometimes bundled into ticket price; otherwise it can be purchased digitally in advance.
• Public transit: Broward County Transit routes connect nearby at Sawgrass Mills.
• Rideshare: Drop-off and pickup zones are located along Northwest 136th Avenue.

Nearby

The arena sits directly across from Sawgrass Mills, one of the largest outlet and retail malls in the country, offering extensive shopping and dining before or after a show.

Before You Arrive

Plan to arrive with enough buffer time for parking and security screening, since the arena’s no-bag policy adds a step that can slow lines if guests arrive with non-compliant bags.

What to bring:

• A smartphone with your digital ticket loaded
• A credit card, debit card, or mobile payment method, since the venue is cashless
• A small clutch under 4″ x 6″ if you’re bringing anything at all
• Nothing larger, since standard purses and backpacks aren’t allowed and lockers require a fee

Frequently Asked Questions

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