RP Funding Center

Last updated
RP Funding Center
RP Funding Center logo RP Funding Center.png
RP Funding Center logo
RP Funding center as seen from W Lime Street 01.jpg
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RP Funding Center
Location within Florida
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RP Funding Center
Location within the United States
Former namesLakeland Civic Center (1974-94)
Lakeland Center (1994-2017)
Address701 W Lime St
Lakeland, Florida 33815-4534
LocationDowntown Lakeland
Coordinates 28°02′28″N81°57′49″W / 28.041053°N 81.963619°W / 28.041053; -81.963619
OwnerCity of Lakeland
Capacity
Venues
  • Jenkins Arena: 8,178
  • YouKey Theatre: 2,236
  • Exhibit Hall: 2,834
  • Sikes Hall: 1,865
  • Lake Hollingsworth Ballroom: 468
  • Lake Parker Room: 164
  • Lake Morton Room: 110
OpenedNovember 16, 1974
Tenants
Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) (1983–84)
Lakeland Loggerheads (WHA2) (2003–04)
Lakeland Thunderbolts (NIFL/AIFA) (2005–07)
Lakeland/Florida Marine Raiders (UIFL/XLIF) (2012–15)
Central Florida Jaguars (AIF) (2016)
Florida Tropics SC (MASL) (2016–2023)
Lakeland Magic (NBAGL) (2017–2023)
Florida Tarpons (AAL) (2018)
Tampa Bay Tornadoes (AAL) (2021)

The RP Funding Center (formerly the Lakeland Civic Center and the Lakeland Center) is a multipurpose entertainment complex in Lakeland, Florida, comprising a convention center, arena and theater. Formerly, it was the home of the Lakeland Magic, the Orlando Magic's affiliate in the NBA G League [1] and the Florida Tropics SC of the Major Arena Soccer League.

Contents

About

Aerial view of complex (c.2018). RP Funding Center satellite.png
Aerial view of complex (c.2018).
The logo of arena until 2017. LakelandCenterLogo.png
The logo of arena until 2017.

It was home to the Lakeland Loggerheads of the World Hockey Association 2 during the 2003–04 season, the Lakeland Thunderbolts of the National Indoor Football League and later the American Indoor Football Association from 2005 until 2007, the Lakeland Raiders of the Ultimate Indoor Football League (later to be known as the Florida Marine Raiders of X-League Indoor Football) from 2012 until 2015, and the Central Florida Jaguars of the American Indoor Football in 2016. In 2018, the Florida Tarpons of the American Arena League relocated to Lakeland to use the arena for its home games. [2]

The Tampa Bay Rowdies of the defunct North American Soccer League used the arena for indoor soccer on several occasions including three of their sixteen home games during the 1983-84 indoor season. This would also prove to be the league's final indoor campaign before suspending operations following the 1984 outdoor season. [3]

In 1975 and 1976 the arena hosted National Hockey League exhibition matches between the Minnesota North Stars and the Atlanta Flames. Atlanta won both matches by the scores of 3–2 and 5–2, respectively. [4] [5] Beginning with their inaugural season (1992–93), the Tampa Bay Lightning used the center for training camp and exhibition games for several years. On September 23, 1992, hockey history was made as Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play in an NHL exhibition game as the Tampa Bay Lightning played against the St. Louis Blues. [6]

Elvis Presley played the Civic Center on April 27, 1975 (two shows, a matinee and an evening performance) and another evening performance on April 28, 1975. He played the center again a year later on September 4, 1976 (two performances, a matinee and an evening show).

Kiss performed here in 1976 when guitarist Ace Frehley was electrocuted leading him to later go on and write his song "Shock Me", included on the Love Gun album. [7]

Since 2019 it is the current home of the Central Florida Comic Con. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993)</span> Defunct American soccer club

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Tornado</span> Soccer club

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Wegerle</span> South African soccer player

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in the Tampa Bay area</span> Overview of sports opportunities in the Tampa Bay area

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Tarpons</span> 2010s indoor American football team

The Florida Tarpons were a professional indoor football team based in Lakeland, Florida, out of the RP Funding Center. Originally established in Estero, Florida, and playing out of Germain Arena, they began play in 2012 as an expansion team of the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL). The Tarpons joined the X-League Indoor Football (X-League) during the 2015 season when the UIFL merged with the X-League. They played in the Arena Pro Football (APF) league in 2017 before the league became the American Arena League (AAL) for 2018. For 2019, there was an ownership transition that formed their own Florida-based league, called the A-League, and the team rebranded as the Lakeland Tarpons. The team was removed from the A-League schedule at the start of the 2019 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Lauderdale–Tampa Bay rivalry</span> Club soccer rivalry in Florida

The Fort Lauderdale–Tampa Bay rivalry, also known as the Florida Derby, refers to the suspended soccer rivalry that most recently involved the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and the Tampa Bay Rowdies, both of whom played in the North American Soccer League through the 2016 season. Over the years the rivalry has spanned more than one hundred matches across eight soccer leagues and several tournaments, and involved nine different teams from the two regions of Florida. At times it has involved players, coaches, management and fans. Even the press has fanned the rivalry's flames at times. From 2010 through 2014, the winner of the regular season series automatically won the Coastal Cup as well. The status of the rivalry beyond 2016 remains unclear because the Rowdies have since joined the United Soccer League, while the Strikers ongoing ownership and legal battles of 2016 and 2017 have left them defunct.

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The 1983 NASL Grand Prix of Indoor Soccer was an indoor soccer tournament staged by four franchises of the North American Soccer League.

The 1979 Fort Lauderdale Strikers season was part of the club's twelfth season in professional soccer.

The 1979 NASL Budweiser Indoor Soccer Invitational was a four-team indoor soccer tournament held at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida on the final weekend of January 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Florida Jaguars</span> Professional indoor American football team

The Central Florida Jaguars, commonly known as the Jags, were a professional indoor football team based in Lakeland, Florida.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Tropics SC</span> Professional soccer club based in Lakeland, Florida

Florida Tropics SC is a professional soccer club based in Lakeland, Florida. They are owned by Central Florida Sports Ventures, LLC, led by Dr. Panos Iakovidis, and former USL commissioner and Rochester Rhinos owner Chris Economides. The organization was originally founded in 2015 as a team in the Major Arena Soccer League before expanding into other leagues.

The 1976 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the second indoor season of the club's existence. The Rowdies were able to replicate their 1975 outdoor success by winning the North American Soccer League's 1976 indoor championship.

The 1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the first indoor season of the club's existence. It also marked the first time the expansion Rowdies participated in any North American Soccer League sanctioned competition.

The 1979–80 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the sixth indoor season of the club's existence.

References

  1. ↑ Fredericksen, Brady (December 14, 2016). "Orlando Magic D-League team to play in Lakeland, practice in Winter Haven". The Ledger .
  2. ↑ "FLORIDA TARPONS MAKE RP FUNDING CENTER HOME". Florida Tarpons. September 21, 2017.
  3. ↑ Beard, Randy (November 5, 1983). "Don't hold your breath as Rowdies unveil schedule". Evening Independent. p. 4-C. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  4. ↑ "26 Sep 1975, 38 - Tampa Bay Times". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  5. ↑ "25 Sep 1976, 70 - Tampa Bay Times". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  6. ↑ Kearney, Mark; Ray, Randy (30 September 2006). Whatever Happened To-- ?: Catching Up with Canadian Icons. Dundurn. ISBN   9781550026542 . Retrieved 14 December 2017– via Google Books.
  7. ↑ Gooch, Curt and Jeff Suhs. KISS Alive Forever: The Complete Touring History, Billboard Books, 2002. ISBN   0-8230-8322-5
  8. ↑ Catala, Paul (January 16, 2020). "Central Florida Comic Con to offer more celebs, dealers at popular Lakeland event". The Ledger . Retrieved 10 April 2023.
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