Broward County is seeking to transform the land surrounding the Florida Panthers’ Amerant Bank Arena into a large mixed-use district featuring housing, offices, hotels, retail, cultural facilities and public spaces. The proposal would replace much of the arena’s 7,500-space surface parking lot while keeping the NHL venue in place and reshaping Sunrise’s development landscape.
Key takeaways
- The proposal covers approximately 154 acres around Amerant Bank Arena.
- Plans include up to 1,400 multifamily units, with 15% designated as affordable housing.
- The project could add 300,000 square feet of commercial space and 600 hotel rooms.
- Broward is requesting a transit-oriented development land-use designation.
- A county traffic study estimates nearly 50,000 daily vehicle trips.
The Sunrise City Commission is expected to consider the requested land-use amendment on Aug. 11. Broward wants to change the site’s designation from commercial, industrial and low residential uses to transit-oriented development, citing plans for a transit hub north of Red Snapper Road.
What the development could include
The county’s application outlines a broad combination of residential, commercial and institutional uses. Potential components include up to 1.6 million square feet of office or education space, 300,000 square feet of commercial space and as many as 1,400 multifamily residences.
The plan also calls for 600 hotel rooms and up to 60,000 square feet of meeting space. Cultural facilities could occupy as much as 250,000 square feet, although that space would be counted within the proposed office allocation rather than added on top of it.
Open-space elements include about eight acres of green space, one acre of public space, and 18.8 acres dedicated to wetlands and mitigation. The existing arena would remain the centerpiece of the site.
Panthers’ potential role
The Panthers are not yet presenting a final redevelopment plan, but the team is expected to have a role in future discussions. A 2024 agreement with Broward County gives the franchise four years to propose redevelopment ideas for property surrounding the arena.
The team and county are described as being in early talks. Any eventual proposal would build on the Panthers’ long-standing presence in Sunrise, where the club has played for 25 years, while potentially creating a more active district around games and other arena events.
Traffic and regional development pressures
Transportation will be a central issue as officials review the proposal. The county’s study estimates the development could generate nearly 50,000 vehicle trips per day, raising questions about road capacity, event-day congestion and how effectively the planned transit connection can reduce car dependence.
The arena-area proposal arrives as other major projects move forward in Sunrise. DW Partners recently acquired a site planned for approximately 900 homes, while the revived Metropica development is expected to add 1,000 luxury apartments and more than 150,000 square feet of retail space in its next construction phase.
Together, the projects could accelerate Sunrise’s shift from an arena-centered suburban destination into a denser mixed-use hub, provided the plans secure approvals and address infrastructure, wetlands and affordability concerns.
- Broward County Proposes Development Around Sunrise Arena, The Real Deal.