Kaseya Center: Why was the Miami-Dade arena renamed ahead of UFC 287?

The Miami-Dade Arena, which will host UFC 287, has been renamed the Kaseya Center. The downtown Miami arena that hosts NBA team Miami Heat will have its name changed for the third time in as many months.

The collapse of crypto firm FTX in November prompted the waterfront arena to change its name. FTX's founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, was forced to resign from his position as CEO after the company's value plummeted to zero due to a liquidity crisis.

Prosecutors, based on the results of their investigations, now claim that Bankman-Fried and others at FTX misappropriated customer funds, permanently staining the company's name.

After bitcoin exchange FTX went bankrupt last November, the County of Miami-Dade canceled its partnership and on Tuesday the Miami-Dade County commissioners agreed unanimously to rename the building, which had been known as the Miami-Dade Arena.

As part of a 17-year, $117.37 million lease arrangement, the building will be rebranded as the Kaseya Center, according to NBC 6 South Florida.

Speaking about the renaming, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a news release:

“We are proud to close this deal with a locally based company for the first time in the history of the Arena. Since Kaseya relocated its headquarters to Miami, it has demonstrated a real commitment to invest in our economy and our local talent by opening the door to the jobs of the future. This deal will not only allow us to continue investing in critical crime prevention programs, it will also strengthen our brand as a global, diverse and future-ready community.”

Prior to its rebranding with FTX, the building was known as AmericanAirlines Arena. It was announced in 2019 that the airline company with a Miami hub would not extend its contract past the expiration date of January 1, 2020.

The news comes just days before UFC 287, the organization's return to Miami. The event will be headlined by a rematch between middleweight champion Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya.

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Miami-Dade Arena renamed to Kaseya Center ahead of UFC 287: What did Kaseya CEO say about the new partnership?

To foster innovation and give back to the community, Kaseya has partnered with Miami-Dade County.

Multinational Software Corporation, Kaseya offers a variety of information technology services, including IT management, cloud monitoring, services administration, and access management.

Shedding light on the Miami-Dade Arena being renamed the Kaseya Center and the new partnership, CEO Fred Voccola stated:

“As one of the most iconic venues in the world, we could not be more excited to officially rename the arena as the Kaseya Center and partner with the Miami Heat. Miami is our home, and having Kaseya showcased globally as synonymous with Miami is something we’re very proud of."

“The partnership with Kaseya furthers our commitment to combating gun violence and poverty by funding the Peace and Prosperity Plan. The plan provides at-risk children with meaningful experiences and opportunities to explore a myriad of career paths,”