| Hertz Arena | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | 11000 Everblades Parkway Estero, Florida 33928 |
| Opened | 1998 |
| Owner | |
| Former names | TECO Arena Everblades Arena Germain Arena |
| Tenants | Florida Everblades (ECHL) (1998-present) Florida Firecats (af2) (2001-present) |
| Capacity | Hockey: 7,128 |
Hertz Arena is a 7,128-seat multi-purpose arena in Estero, Florida, United States.
The arena was first named Everblades Arena in 1998 after the hockey team that played there. TECO Energy was the first company to obtain the naming rights to the building, changing the name to TECO Arena. In 2004, TECO Energy decided they were no longer interested in holding the naming rights. Germain Motor Company bought the rights, and in 2004 the venue was renamed to Germain Arena. This same company, an automobile dealership with locations in Florida, Arkansas, and Ohio, also holds the naming rights to the Germain Amphitheater in Columbus, Ohio. The arena was again renamed in 2019 to the Hertz Arena
Germain Arena has been used as a multipurpose venue, primarily hosting the Florida Everblades ECHL ice hockey team and the Florida Firecats Arena Football League 2 (af2) team. It was also the home for the Florida Flame NBA Development League team. Additionally, the venue has hosted various concerts, circuses, boxing, mixed martial arts events, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling house shows, World Wrestling Entertainment house shows and Professional Bull Riders events.
Germain Arena is also home to the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles Hockey Team of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). In March, 2006, the facility hosted the Division 3 ACHA National Championships and in March 2008 the Division 2 ACHA National Championships.
Fan support is known for at the Germain, as the Florida Everblades have accumulated millions of fans over ten seasons of play. Everblades games are usually packed with energetic fans, and are known to have some of the best fans in the ECHL. Sections 110 and 111 are known to be the loudest sections of the Germain.
Starting in December 2000, the arena has been host to an annual college hockey tournament, originally known as the Everblades College Classic, now called the Florida College Hockey Classic. This 4-team tournament is hosted by the University of Maine Black Bears and the Cornell University Big Red, and two other teams are invited each year. The winner is awarded the Ned Harkness Cup.
The arena is being used as an evacuation center during Hurricane Irma in September of 2017.
External links[]
- The Official Site of Germain Arena
- The Official Site of the Florida Everblades
- The Official Site of the Florida Firecats
- The Official Site of the FGCU Ice Eagles
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