Florida Panthers: New Practice Facility Opens to Public on March 21

The Florida Panthers have settled into their new home but their practice facility — the IcePlex next to the War Memorial Auditorium at Fort Lauderdale’s Holiday Park — has not yet opened up to the public.

That is soon about to change.

The team announced that the Iceplex would hold a private ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 20 with the building open for business the following day.

The first game to be held on one of the two stadium rinks at the facility will be an invite-only affair on March 20 between the Panthers Warriors hockey team and the Fort Lauderdale Police & Fire.

Florida team practices will be open to the public again, for the first time since Covid shut things down in 2020, once the building opens on March 21.

The bar and restaurant which will join the two rinks from the upper deck will not open right away. ‘The Federal’ plans to be ready to start slinging drinks and serving sliders in April.

“We’ve been working on this for a number of years now,” team president Matt Caldwell said when the facility first opened for team practices in December.

“A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into making this first class.”

The centerpiece of the project, which is being paid for by the team in excess of $60 million, is the complete renovation of the War Memorial Auditorium which is being transformed into a music venue.

That is expected to open this summer.

The Panthers’ Iceplex is right in the heart of Fort Lauderdale. // Professional graphic by @GeorgeRichards

The Panthers have been practicing at the facility for the most part since Dec. 22 and the players have been enjoying it.

The Iceplex is certainly a state-of-the art facility, one in which the Panthers have every amenity available to them.

“That space is for the players,” general manager Bill Zito said. “The goal was to create an environment players could come in and feel comfortable to socialize amongst themselves. They can prepare meals, they can watch games outside.

“There are more treats on the horizon that will make that space second-to-none in the league.”

ON DECK

FLORIDA PANTHERS @ DETROIT RED WINGS  

• When: Saturday, 3 p.m.
• Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit 
• Streaming/TV: ABC (Chs. 10, 25)/ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5 FM-2; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL/Panthers App
• Last Season: Florida won 3-0
• This Season (Tied 1-1) — At Detroit: Panthers 2, Wings 0 (Nov. 2); Saturday. At Florida: Wings 3, Panthers 2 OT (Jan. 18); March 30
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 37-19-7, 5 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Monday at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.