Panthers to host first practice at new War Memorial facility on Friday
Florida broke ground on the new practice facility in May of 2021
The long-awaited debut of the Florida Panthers new practice facility is finally upon us.
Friday afternoon in Fort Lauderdale the Panthers will hold their first practice on the ice at the new War Memorial facility.
Officially dubbed the Baptist Health IcePlex at FTL War Memorial, Florida’s new digs have been under construction since a groundbreaking ceremony was held in May of 2021.
Though an official release from the Panthers touts the practice rink including stadium seating for up to 1,000 fans, Friday’s practice will only be open to credentialed media.
According to Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards, practices will not be open to the public until the facility is 100% complete.
A second ice sheet and a restaurant are expected to be open in the spring of 2024, per Richards.
Panthers President Matthew Caldwell and General Manager Bill Zito are expected to be among those who speak to the media.
The move to Fort Lauderdale has been in the works for a while.
Many of the Panthers players, coaches and staff live in the area, as opposed to out west where Amerant Bank Arena and the Coral Springs Ice Den are located.
LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA
