The Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup at Amerant Bank Arena in June 2024, and Sunrise hasn't slowed down since. The arena draws more than 1.2 million visitors a year to a venue that sits — by design — well removed from downtown, one mile north of Sunrise Boulevard at the western edge of Broward County, flanked by 7,045 parking spaces and the sprawling Sawgrass Mills mall. On a sold-out hockey night or a stadium-level concert, every one of those spaces has a car competing for it, and the Panther Parkway corridor backs up hard before the opening faceoff.
The question any group planner faces is not whether parking and post-game exit are a problem at Amerant Bank Arena. It's whether your group absorbs that problem themselves or puts a bus between their plans and the headache.
This guide answers the questions that matter when you're moving a group to Sunrise: exactly where your bus enters and parks, how much bus parking costs, what the rideshare zone looks like after the final horn, which approach roads clear fastest on the way out, and what the arena's own policies say about all of it — sourced directly from the official Amerant Bank Arena directions and parking page and the Florida Panthers parking page. For groups starting in Miramar or anywhere in Broward County, getting a quote takes about a minute through Miramarpartybuscompany.com's online form or a quick call to 754-243-5911.
Why Rent a Party Bus or Charter Bus to Amerant Bank Arena?
Amerant Bank Arena sits on the western edge of Sunrise, roughly a mile from I-595 and three miles from the Sawgrass Expressway. That geography tells you everything about game-night transportation. There is no Tri-Rail stop, no Brightline connection, no Metrorail that reaches Sunrise — the arena acknowledges on its own plan-your-visit page that transit access is limited at this location.
Everyone drives, and when 19,000 hockey fans or 23,000 concert-goers all converge on the same interchange, the NW 136th Avenue exit off I-595 and the Panther Parkway approach seize up well before doors open. Post-game, the Sunrise Boulevard intersection becomes the single pressure point for every fan heading east toward Fort Lauderdale — one signal cycle at a time.
For a group of 15 or more traveling from Miramar or southern Broward, a party bus or charter bus rental removes that entire coordination equation. Gate 7 is where your bus enters. Lot D2 is where it parks.
Everyone walks to the arena entrance together while the rest of Sunrise circles the lot or waits in the rideshare queue at Gate 3. After the game, your bus is pre-staged with a set pickup window — no one is standing around watching surge prices climb on their phone. Miramarpartybuscompany.com connects groups across Miramar and Broward County to a large network of bus companies, with party buses, charter buses, minibuses, and Sprinter limos available for any group size. Compare options and get pricing in under a minute — online or by calling 754-243-5911.
Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off at Amerant Bank Arena
Here is the short version, straight from the official Florida Panthers parking page: buses enter through Gate 7, and bus parking is $75. Gate 7 feeds directly into the D Lot on the west side of the arena — and buses park in Lot D2, per the arena's own published directions. The D Lot side is also the fastest exit after the game if your group is heading south or west toward the Sawgrass Expressway via Salerno Drive, which is a useful coincidence for Miramar-based groups.
The arena's official directions page notes that Gate 1 is also an available entry point for buses on some events — both Gate 1 and Gate 7 access the D Lot area — so the exact gate assigned for your specific date is worth confirming when you book.
On the approach: groups from Miramar and eastern Broward most often arrive via I-75 North to I-595 West, exiting at Exit 1 (NW 136th Avenue) and heading north on Panther Parkway. General car traffic filters through Gates 2 and 3 on that approach; buses follow the flow west to Gate 7. Groups coming from farther south via I-75 or the Sawgrass Expressway can exit directly at Pat Salerno Drive, which delivers them to the arena's Gate 1 or Gate 2 approach on the south side.
Either way, a charter bus heading to Lot D2 takes Gate 7 as its designated entry — and that distinction matters at 7:00 PM on a sold-out Saturday when the Gate 3 car-parking lane is stacked six deep.
Bus Parking at Amerant Bank Arena: Gate 7, Lot D2, and the $75 Fee
The $75 bus parking fee covers one bus in Lot D2 for the duration of the event, per the Florida Panthers' own published instructions. For an oversized vehicle that occupies more than two standard spaces, the arena charges additional general parking fees per extra space — so a particularly large motorcoach can run somewhat more than the base $75, depending on its footprint. Lots open two hours before puck drop and remain open for one hour after the end of each game, with no re-entry once a vehicle exits.
That timing matters for your pickup window: a bus that needs to stage in Lot D2 for the post-game pickup has to remain in the lot from arrival, and the pre-arranged departure time your group sets before going inside is what keeps everyone from standing at the lot edge at closing time. Pre-purchase parking through SeatGeek is available for Panthers games and select events — locking that in before game day rather than relying on gate availability is worth the extra step on sold-out nights.
Per the official Florida Panthers parking page: buses enter through Gate 7 and park in Lot D2. Bus parking is $75 per vehicle, paid separately from event tickets and the bus rental. Lots open two hours before puck drop and close one hour after the final buzzer — no re-entry.
Set your post-game pickup window before your group heads inside.
Rideshare Drop-Off at Amerant Bank Arena: Gate 3 and the Post-Game Reality
The official rideshare drop-off zone is Gate 3, at the North Pedestrian Walkway entrance, per the arena's published directions. Rideshare vehicles enter via Gate 3, drop passengers at the North Pedestrian Walkway, and exit through Gate 2. Post-game pickups use the same zone — Gate 3 at the northern end of the North Pedestrian Walkway — and vehicles exit via Gate 2.
A Lyft partnership with the arena offers the code AMERANT for 50% off your first two rides (up to $10 per ride).
What the rideshare zone doesn't tell you is what happens there 20 minutes after a sold-out game ends. Post-event queues at Gate 3 typically run 15 to 30 minutes before a car arrives, and surge pricing is a reliable companion to that wait. One practical workaround that repeat visitors use: walk approximately 8 minutes east to the Sawgrass Mills mall entrance and request pickup from there — outside the immediate arena surge zone, you often get a faster pickup at a lower fare.
A charter bus or party bus skips this calculation entirely. Your vehicle is pre-staged and pre-scheduled, not summoned into a crowd.
Getting to Amerant Bank Arena from Miramar and South Florida
Amerant Bank Arena is roughly 16 miles from Miramar — about 28 to 30 minutes in light traffic, following I-75 North to the I-595 connector, then I-595 West to Exit 1 (NW 136th Avenue), and north on Panther Parkway for the final 1.5 miles to the arena. On a game night or major concert, add 20 to 30 minutes to that baseline — the NW 136th Avenue exit and the Sunrise Boulevard intersection are where everything stacks. Traffic planners note that weekday baseline volumes on I-595 and the Sawgrass Expressway already exceed 80,000 vehicles per day in this corridor, and a 19,000-person event surge adds meaningfully to that number during the final pre-game hour.
Groups from Fort Lauderdale take the same I-595 West path to Exit 1. From Miami or North Miami Beach, allow at least 45 minutes before event traffic — the I-75 corridor through Miramar is typically the most direct shot north toward the I-595 connection. From Boca Raton or West Palm Beach, the published approach runs I-95 South to SW 10th Street West to the Sawgrass Expressway, then south toward Oakland Park Boulevard and Flamingo Road before reaching Panther Parkway.
Groups using the Sawgrass Expressway from the north exit at Oakland Park Boulevard, then follow Flamingo Road to Panther Parkway and enter through Gate 3. Whatever the origin, the final 1.5 miles on Panther Parkway is where every approach converges — and a bus that leaves Miramar with the right amount of pre-game buffer arrives there ahead of the crunch.
Amerant Bank Arena Transportation: Every Option Compared
Amerant Bank Arena is a suburban arena with no train connection and no practical public transit on event nights. The real choice for a South Florida group is driving separately, relying on rideshare, using Sawgrass Mills overflow parking, or booking a bus. Here is the honest breakdown of all four, scored on what actually matters for a group traveling from Miramar or Broward.
| Option | Cost shape | Arrive together? | Drop-off zone | Post-game exit | Best group size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charter bus or party bus | One flat rate, split across the group | Yes — one vehicle, one arrival, one pre-staged pickup | Gate 7 → Lot D2, steps from arena entrance | Pre-staged, no surge, no rideshare queue | 15–56 |
| Minibus | One flat rate, split across the group | Yes — fits up to 35 | Gate 7 → Lot D2 or arranged commercial zone | Pre-staged, efficient for mid-size groups | 15–35 |
| Rideshare (Lyft / Uber) | Per car each way + post-game surge | No — multiple cars, multiple ETAs | Gate 3 / North Pedestrian Walkway | 15–30 min post-game wait, surge pricing | 1–4 per car |
| Drive and pay arena parking | $40–$50 + tax per car at gate | Only if cars stay together the whole drive | Varies by lot (A Lot via Gates 2–3; D Lot via Gates 1, 7) | D Lot clears faster to Sawgrass; A Lot faster to I-595 east | 1–4 per car |
| Sawgrass Mills free overflow | Free during mall hours | Only if cars park together | ~quarter mile walk across the street | Mall closes 9:30 PM; tow risk after closing; lot traffic control deprioritized | 1–2 cars only |
For a pair of friends, rideshare or the Sawgrass overflow can work fine — no reason to book a bus for two people. Once your group grows past a couple of cars' worth of people, though, the coordination overhead of separate vehicles — different arrival times, scattered parking, multiple fares, and the post-game rideshare scramble — tips decisively toward one bus at one flat rate. That is the group the rest of this guide is written for.
On Sawgrass Mills overflow parking: The Sawgrass Mills mall sits directly across from the arena and offers free parking during mall hours — but the mall closes at 9:30 PM Monday through Saturday, creating a real tow risk for anyone still inside at game's end. Traffic control at Amerant Bank Arena prioritizes egress from the paid arena lots over the mall overflow, so that quarter-mile walk back across the street often happens against outbound traffic, in the dark, after an overtime period.
What Size Party Bus or Charter Bus Does Your Group Need for Amerant Bank Arena?
The right vehicle for an Amerant Bank Arena run comes down to your headcount and how much you want the transportation itself to be part of the occasion. Miramarpartybuscompany.com connects groups across Miramar and Broward to a wide variety of vehicles through a network of bus companies — from 14-passenger Sprinter limos to 56-passenger charter buses. Here is how the full vehicle lineup maps to the most common group types heading to Sunrise.
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Gear / storage | Best Amerant Bank Arena use case | Key amenities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-passenger Sprinter limo or Sprinter van | Up to 14 | Light — bags and gear for a small group | Suite holders, VIP clients, small corporate groups | Premium leather, USB charging, tinted privacy windows, individual reading lights |
| 15–30 passenger party bus | 15–30 | Onboard storage, lighter | Friend groups and office groups who want a shared experience on the ride | Color-changing LED lighting, Bluetooth sound system, flat-panel TVs, wraparound lounge seating |
| 40–50 passenger party bus | 40–50 | Onboard, moderate | Large fan groups, birthday runs, milestone celebrations | Premium sound, LED lighting, flat-panel TVs, spacious lounge configuration |
| 15–35 passenger minibus | 15–35 | Overhead bins plus some underfloor | Corporate shuttles, school groups, wedding guests, family outing groups | Reclining seats, powerful A/C, overhead storage, PA system |
| 40–56 passenger charter bus | Up to 56 | Deep undercarriage bays for bags, equipment | Large company outings, fan travel groups, away-game supporters | Reclining seats, full climate control, WiFi, power outlets, onboard restrooms, undercarriage luggage bays |
ADA-accessible buses are available through the Miramarpartybuscompany.com network — note your accessibility needs in the quote request so the right vehicle is arranged. At the arena, designated accessible parking is available on the north and south sides of the main entrance on a first-come, first-served basis, with accessible gates at 1, 2, 5, and 7. For groups with multiple pickup points across Miramar or Broward — say, a pickup at Miramar City Hall before swinging through a Pembroke Pines hotel — a multi-stop itinerary is easy to build into the quote.
Call 754-243-5911 or use the online form to check availability and compare vehicles for your date.
Amerant Bank Arena Charter Bus & Party Bus Rental Prices
Rental prices for a Miramar charter bus or party bus to Amerant Bank Arena vary with vehicle size, total hours, the date, and your route. To give you a planning baseline, here are the rate ranges available through the Miramarpartybuscompany.com network by vehicle type — these are example ranges to help you plan, not a quote or a guarantee, since the real number moves with your specific itinerary, date, and availability.
| Vehicle | Weekday hourly | Weekend hourly | Per-day range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14-passenger Sprinter limo | $200–$325 | $225–$350 | $1,550–$3,150 |
| Sprinter van | $200–$275 | $225–$375 | $1,400–$2,750 |
| 15-passenger party bus | $200–$350 | $250–$350 | $1,400–$2,850 |
| 25-passenger party bus | $250–$350 | $275–$375 | $1,850–$2,900 |
| 28-passenger party bus | $250–$350 | $275–$375 | $2,150–$2,700 |
| 40-passenger party bus | $300–$350 | $325–$500 | $2,300–$3,500 |
| 15–35 passenger minibus | $200–$250 | $200–$275 | $1,100–$2,150 |
| 40–56 passenger charter bus | $200–$350 | $200–$350 | $1,350–$2,850 |
A real-world example to frame the math: a 28-person group based in Miramar books a 28-passenger party bus for a Saturday Panthers game. Pickup at 5:30 PM from a central Miramar location; at Amerant Bank Arena's Gate 7 by 6:20 PM — roughly 45 minutes before puck drop. The game ends around 10:30 PM; pre-arranged pickup at 11:00 PM from the Gate 7 area.
That is about 5.5 hours of rental time. At the weekend rate range for that vehicle ($275–$375/hr), the total comes to approximately $1,500–$2,060 — split across 28 people, that lands at roughly $54–$74 per person. Compare that against two Ubers per person round-trip with post-game surge, plus $40–$50 arena parking for anyone who drove — and the bus typically wins on both simplicity and total cost once the group gets to this size.
Note that the arena's $75 bus parking fee is a separate, pre-purchased cost on top of the rental.
Florida Panthers playoff runs and major headline concerts are the dates when both tickets and transportation go fast. Locking in your vehicle sooner means better selection and a better rate. See the Miramar party bus prices page for more detail on what shapes the final number, or call 754-243-5911 for a quote built around your exact date and headcount.
Post-Game Exit at Amerant Bank Arena: What to Know Before the Final Horn
The post-game exit at Amerant Bank Arena is the detail that surprises first-timers most. The venue's location — one major approach road in, two main exits out — means roughly 19,000 fans funnel through the same interchange points simultaneously. Here is how the exit actually works, and why which lot you parked in determines how long you sit.
If your group is heading east toward Fort Lauderdale on I-595, the A Lot (east side, Gates 2 and 3) clears faster — its exit feeds directly to NW 136th Avenue and the I-595 on-ramp with fewer signal cycles than the D Lot flow. If you are heading west or south on the Sawgrass Expressway, the D Lot (west side, Gate 7 area) is the cleaner exit — an easy-access on-ramp via Salerno Drive connects D Lot egress directly to the Sawgrass Expressway without rejoining the main Panther Parkway flow. Picking the wrong lot for your direction home can cost your group 15 or more minutes after the buzzer.
Arena traffic control manages the lot sequence actively after the game, and some experienced attendees leave approximately 8 to 10 minutes after the final horn rather than at the immediate crowd pulse — which can meaningfully cut exit time on high-attendance nights.
The Sawgrass Mills overflow lot is last in the traffic control priority sequence. Those pedestrians cross back across the street against the outbound arena lot flow, making it one of the more frustrating post-game exits even on nights when the main lots clear in under 30 minutes. With a charter bus, the exit plan is already set.
The bus stages in Lot D2, your group meets at Gate 7 at the agreed window, and the bus takes Salerno Drive to the Sawgrass Expressway for Miramar-bound groups — or NW 136th Avenue to I-595 East for anyone heading toward Fort Lauderdale or Miami Beach — while everyone recaps the game instead of navigating.
Florida Panthers Game Day Charter Bus & Party Bus Rentals
The Florida Panthers are the reigning Stanley Cup champions — they hoisted the Cup at Amerant Bank Arena in Game 7 in June 2024, defeating the Edmonton Oilers, and have been one of the hardest tickets in the NHL since their back-to-back Cup Final runs in 2023 and 2024. Playoff tickets sell out in hours. Regular-season games against division rivals pack the house.
For fan groups traveling from Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, and the rest of southern Broward, a Miramar sporting event party bus keeps the whole group together on the ride west — pregame energy building on the way to Sunrise instead of scattered across a dozen cars on I-595.
Corporate groups taking clients to a suite or club level at a Panthers game fit naturally into a minibus or charter bus from the Miramar corporate event transportation lineup — no one has to navigate the Panther Parkway approach, everyone clears Gate 7 together, and the client experience starts from the moment the bus leaves Miramar rather than beginning in a parking lot. For large fan groups, a 40- or 50-passenger party bus with onboard sound and LED lighting means the celebration starts well before the puck drops at Gate 7. Multi-stop pickups across Broward — hotel blocks, office locations, neighborhood gathering points — can all be built into a single itinerary.
Talk through the route with the Miramarpartybuscompany.com support team when you call 754-243-5911.
Florida Panthers & Concerts at Amerant Bank Arena: 2026-2027 Events
Amerant Bank Arena runs a packed 12-month calendar, welcoming more than 1.2 million guests a year across hockey, concerts, family shows, and arena spectaculars. The 2026-27 Florida Panthers NHL season kicks off with a home opener on October 10 against the Minnesota Wild — the defending Stanley Cup champions opening at home draws hard. Preseason action runs in September with games against the Carolina Hurricanes (September 20) and Tampa Bay Lightning (September 26).
The concert and event calendar at Amerant Bank Arena runs strong through the fall. Lil Baby & Kodak Black – Fall Fest 2026 is September 5. Monster Jam fills the floor August 22–23.
Disney on Ice presents Spotlight Magic! runs September 10–13. Weezer – The Gathering is October 13. Journey – Final Frontier Tour 2026 plays October 16.
That is four consecutive weeks of major events in October before the Panthers regular season gets fully into its stride — exactly the window when Broward bus availability tightens fastest. For a Miramar concert party bus to any of those dates, booking several weeks ahead of the show rather than the week of is the difference between choosing the vehicle you want and taking what's left.
The full and continuously updated event calendar lives on the official Amerant Bank Arena events page — worth checking before your group locks in a date, since new shows are added through the season.
Frequently Asked Questions About Renting a Bus to Amerant Bank Arena
Where does a charter bus or party bus drop off at Amerant Bank Arena?
Buses enter through Gate 7 — with Gate 1 also available on some events — and park in Lot D2, the D Lot on the west side of the arena. Per the official Florida Panthers parking page, bus parking is $75 per vehicle. Lot D2 puts your group on the arena's west side, a short walk to the main entrance — considerably closer and more straightforward than the rideshare zone at Gate 3 on the opposite side of the building.
How much does bus parking cost at Amerant Bank Arena?
$75 per bus, per the Florida Panthers' published parking instructions. This is a separate cost from event tickets and from the bus rental itself. Oversized vehicles that occupy more than two standard spaces may be charged additional general parking fees per extra space.
Pre-purchasing parking through SeatGeek is available for some events — advisable for sold-out nights when parking inventory is tighter.
Where does rideshare drop off and pick up at Amerant Bank Arena?
Rideshare vehicles enter via Gate 3 and drop passengers at the North Pedestrian Walkway entrance. They exit through Gate 2. Post-event pickups use the same zone — Gate 3 at the northern end of the North Pedestrian Walkway.
The Lyft partnership with the arena includes promo code AMERANT for 50% off the first two rides (up to $10 per ride). Post-game wait times typically run 15 to 30 minutes, with surge pricing common after sold-out events.
What is the parking cost for regular cars at Amerant Bank Arena?
General parking in the A Lot and D Lot for Florida Panthers games is listed at $40–$50 plus tax at the gate. Premium lot options — the Amerant Vault, garage, and club lots — are priced separately, with access through Gates 1, 2, 5, and 6. Pre-purchase is available through SeatGeek.
Confirm current pricing directly on the official Amerant Bank Arena directions and parking page before your event, as rates can update between seasons.
When do the parking lots open at Amerant Bank Arena?
Lots open two hours before puck drop for Florida Panthers games and remain open for one hour after the end of each game. No re-entry is permitted once a vehicle exits the lot. For concerts and other events, opening times may vary — check the arena's official page for your specific show.
How far is Amerant Bank Arena from Miramar?
About 16 miles, and roughly 28 to 30 minutes in light traffic. The typical route follows I-75 North to I-595 West, exiting at NW 136th Avenue (Exit 1) and heading north on Panther Parkway. On game nights and for major concerts, plan for 20 to 30 additional minutes on the final approach into Sunrise.
Is there any public transit to Amerant Bank Arena?
Not practically, for event travel. Amerant Bank Arena is not served by Brightline, Tri-Rail, or Metrorail. Broward County Transit has bus routes in the Sunrise area but none are designed around arena event times.
The arena sits at the western edge of the developed Broward grid — there is no walkable transit connection and no event-day shuttle comparable to what you'd find at a downtown arena. A private charter bus or party bus is the only option that picks your group up at one door and delivers them to another with no transfers.
How far in advance should I book a bus for Amerant Bank Arena?
For regular-season Panthers home games, two to four weeks of lead time is workable outside of peak stretches. For playoff games, the October concert run, and any sold-out headliner — book as soon as your group confirms the date. Florida Panthers playoff demand spikes across all of Broward County quickly, and the right-size vehicles go first.
Call 754-243-5911 the moment your date is set.
Can the bus wait at Amerant Bank Arena during the game?
Yes. A charter bus or party bus is booked as a block of hours, so it drops your group at Gate 7, parks in Lot D2 during the event, and is ready at your pre-arranged pickup window after the game. Setting that window and a specific meeting point — Gate 7 area, for example — before your group heads inside is what keeps the post-game pickup clean rather than a phone-tag scramble at the lot exit.
Are ADA-accessible buses available?
Yes — ADA-accessible vehicles are available through the Miramarpartybuscompany.com network. Note your accessibility needs in the quote request so the appropriate vehicle is arranged. At the arena, designated accessible parking is available on the north and south sides of the main entrance on a first-come, first-served basis.
A valid disability placard is required. Accessible gates are 1, 2, 5, and 7.
What is the address and phone number for Amerant Bank Arena?
Amerant Bank Arena is at 1 Panther Parkway, Sunrise, FL 33323. The main arena phone number is 954-835-7000. The box office line is 954-835-SHOW.
For current event and parking information, the official page is the arena's plan-your-visit hub.
Get a Quote for Your Amerant Bank Arena Charter Bus or Party Bus
Whether it is a Florida Panthers playoff push in April, a packed October concert run, or a company outing for 40 people who all need to be at Gate 7 at the same time — the right bus for Amerant Bank Arena is one quick quote away. Miramarpartybuscompany.com connects groups across Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, and all of Broward County to a large network of bus companies, with party buses, charter buses, minibuses, Sprinter limos, and Sprinter vans available for any group size. No account needed, no obligation. Compare vehicles, check availability, and get your pricing in under a minute — online or by calling 754-243-5911 any time.
Also heading to a different South Florida venue on the same trip? The Hard Rock Stadium group transportation guide covers Dolphins games and the 2026 World Cup approach, and the Hard Rock Live Hollywood guide handles concert drop-off at the nearby Hollywood venue — each with its own drop-off zones, parking rules, and approach logistics.
