An agreement was inked Monday to have one company manage both the Amalie Arena and the University of South Florida Sun Dome.
The arenas will be run by the company operated by Jeff Vinik, who owns the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team and the Arena Football League's Tampa Bay Storm.
Vinik says Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties - or TBEP - will be the management and booking agency for both the 20,000-seat Amalie Arena, and the Sun Dome, which holds 7,000 to 9,000 for concerts.
"It's about TBEP in this case and the University of South Florida working together to give the fans a better experience," Vinik said. "To give the students a more complete environment to enjoy games and concerts in."
Steve Griggs, CEO of Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment - the company that owns the sports teams - says it will be a perfect marriage between the larger Amalie Arena and the mid-sized Sun Dome.
"So we see the Amalie Arena being the 10,000 t0 18,000 (seat) play, and this being the 3,000 to 9,000 play, and it's a perfect fit for our organization," he said.
Last month, the entertainment group entered into a 10-year, $29 million multimedia marketing agreement with USF.
The new Sun Dome deal runs through 2022, with an option to extend the agreement.
