View source for Ocean Bank Convocation Center

{{Short description|Home to the FIU Panthers basketball and volleyball teams}}
{{Infobox Stadium
| stadium_name      = Ocean Bank Convocation Center
| nickname          = 
| image             = [[File:FIU Arena, Florida International University.jpg|250px]]
| image_map         = 
| location          = [[University Park, Florida|University Park]], [[Miami]], [[Florida]]
| address           = 11200 SW 8th St<br>Miami, Florida<br>33199-2516
| coordinates       = {{coord|25|45|24|N|80|22|46|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground      = 1983
| built             = 
| opened            = February 1, 1986
| closed            = 
| demolished        = 
| owner             = [[Florida International University]]
| operator          = 
| surface           = [[Wood]]
| construction_cost = $7 million<ref>{{cite news |title=Basketball Fever Gives Sunblazers Hope for Future|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB36623E00922B4&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=Miami Herald|date=November 16, 1986|access-date=February 18, 2012}}</ref><br>{{small|(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|7000000|1983}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})}}
| architect         = 
| former_names      = Sunblazer Arena {{small|(1986–87)}}<br>Golden Panther Arena {{small|(1987–2004)}}<br>Pharmed Arena {{small|(2004–08)}}<br>FIU Arena {{small|(2008, 2014–18)}}<br>U.S. Century Bank Arena {{small|(2008-14)}}
| tenants           = [[FIU Panthers]] {{small|([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) (1986–present)}} 
| seating_capacity  = 5,000
}}

'''Ocean Bank Convocation Center''' (formerly known as '''Sunblazer Arena''', '''Golden Panther Arena''', '''Pharmed Arena''', '''U.S. Century Bank Arena''', and '''FIU Arena''') is a [[seating capacity|5,000-seat]] multi-purpose [[arena]] at [[Florida International University]] in [[University Park, Florida|University Park]], [[Miami]], [[Florida]]. It was opened on February 1, 1986, and is home to the [[FIU Panthers]] [[basketball]] and [[volleyball]] [[team]]s. It was originally named Sunblazer Arena, but was renamed Golden Panther Arena when FIU's athletic teams changed their nickname from Sunblazers to Golden Panthers in 1987. It was renamed Pharmed Arena in 2004, and then was briefly named FIU Arena in 2008 before being renamed to U.S. Century Bank Arena. The facility reverted to the FIU Arena name again from 2014 to 2018 before being renamed the Ocean Bank Convocation Center in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ocean Bank Convocation Center at FIU Dedicated|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/globe-newswire-ocean-bank-convocation-center-at-fiu-dedicated.html|website=CNBC|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>

The {{convert|94000|sqft|m2|-2|sing=on}} arena contains a {{convert|19000|sqft|m2|-2|sing=on}} wooden arena floor. It is also used for [[banquet]]s, [[Convention (meeting)|conventions]], [[concerts]], [[trade shows]], and [[graduation]]s including FIU's own commencement ceremonies.
[[Image:Isiah Press at FIU Arena - 2009.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Media during the [[Isiah Thomas]] press conference at the U.S. Century Bank Arena.]]

The main court is a Cincinnati Robbins perma-cushion maple [[wood]] basketball floor, made up of some {{convert|19000|sqft|m2|-2}} of wood. Four retractable basketball [[Backboard (basketball)|backboard]]s allow for the floor to be divided into two practice courts, while Hydra Goal II portable basketball standards are used for intercollegiate competition. Nevco scoreboards are found at either end.

Support areas include an equipment room, athletic training room, 876 lockers in six different,  offices and boardrooms for FIU athletic administrators, and full-service dressing rooms. Academic space in the building includes three classrooms, as well as physiology and [[kinesiology]] laboratories. 

In late 2008, [[U.S. Century Bank]] bought naming rights to the arena, changing the arena's name to U.S. Century Bank Arena. The arena was scheduled to undergo a $5 million renovation beginning in the summer or fall of 2010,{{needs update|date=December 2013}} with a completion date of early 2011.

In January 2015, the Ocean Bank Convocation Center hosted the [[Miss Universe 2014]] pageant.

On January 26, 2019, the arena broke its attendance record for a basketball game with 4,710 spectators for a game between FIU and their local rivals Florida Atlantic.<ref>{{cite news |title= A record home crowd watched the FIU Panthers basketball. Up next: Southern Miss|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/college/conference-usa/florida-international-university/article225048070.html|newspaper=Miami Herald|date=January 27, 2019|access-date=April 18, 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[FIU Panthers]]
*[[Riccardo Silva Stadium]] (FIU Football)
*[[Infinity Insurance Park]] (FIU Baseball)
*[[List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.fiusports.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11700&SPID=4764&SPSID=56807 U.S. Century Bank Arena]
{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
  title=[[Miss Universe]] venue|
  before=[[Crocus City Hall]]<br>{{flagicon|Russia}} [[Moscow]] |
  after= [[The AXIS]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Las Vegas]] |
  years=[[Miss Universe 2014|2014]]
}}
{{end}}
{{Florida International University}}
{{FIU Panthers men's basketball navbox}}
{{Greater Miami}}
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[[Category:College basketball venues in Florida]]
[[Category:College volleyball venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Florida International University|U.S. Century Bank Arena]]
[[Category:1986 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1986]]