Orlando Sentinel

Amway Arena gets its curtain call in victory

- By Iliana Limón Romero

The Orlando Magic were done.

ESPN “Pardon the Interrupti­on” co-host Michael Wilbon reported he heard coach Stan Van Gundy’s job security was shaky.

The Magic fell behind 3-0 during their Eastern Conference finals series with the Boston Celtics. Stealing one game in Boston didn’t mean much and everyone expected the season to end with a thud at Amway Arena.

But it turns out Orlando’s original home floor still had a little bit of Magic left.

The crowd roared as a barrage of 3-pointers and a game-high 24 points from Jameer Nelson lifted the Magic to a 113-92 Game 5 win over the Celtics on this this date in 2010.

The Magic couldn’t keep the run going, ending the season two days later with a 96-84 road loss to the Celtics.

As a result, the an announced crowd of 17,461 on hand May 26, 2010, saw the final game at the aging but iconic Amway Arena.

The arena site was first approved in 1983, with the promise of bringing marquee entertainm­ent to the downtown area. It overdelive­red by helping bring an NBA franchise to Orlando.

The city and county broke ground on the venue in January 1987, four months before the NBA Board of Governors agreed to add the Magic as an expansion franchise. The city’s commitment to the venue was among the top factors considered ahead of the expansion vote.

The building was known as Orlando Arena from 1989-99, TD Waterhouse Centre from 1999-2006 and Amway Arena from 2006-10.

In addition to the Magic, it housed the Orlando Titans, Orlando Predators, Orlando Sharks, Orlando Miracle, Orlando Solar Bears, Orlando Rollergato­rs/Jackals and Orlando Seals.

The Magic reached the NBA Finals twice while competing in the venue. The Predators won Arena Football League championsh­ips in 1998 and 2000 while competing in the arena.

Amway Arena was imploded in 2012 after Amway Center opened nearby and the site is now the home of the Orlando Creative Village, a mixed-use space that includes UCF’s new downtown campus.

 ?? JOSHUA C. CRUEY/ORLANDO SENTINEL ?? A view from the upper bowl at Amway Arena in 2010.
JOSHUA C. CRUEY/ORLANDO SENTINEL A view from the upper bowl at Amway Arena in 2010.

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