2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁American A irl ines ▁Arena ▁opened ▁on ▁December ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁and ▁its ▁construction ▁cost ▁was ▁$ 2 1 3   mill ion . ▁Arch itect ural ▁design ▁team ▁members ▁included ▁George ▁Hein lein , ▁Crist ian ▁Pet schen , ▁Re inal do ▁Borg es , ▁and ▁L ance ▁Simon . ▁The ▁American A irl ines ▁Arena ▁was ▁inaugur ated ▁with ▁a ▁concert ▁by ▁Gl oria ▁Est ef an . ▁ ▁Two ▁days ▁later , ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁Miami ▁He at ▁played ▁its ▁first ▁game ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁ar ena ▁by ▁defe ating ▁the ▁Or lando ▁Magic ▁ 1 1 1 – 1 0 3 . ▁ ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁its ▁spons or ship ▁arrangement , ▁American ▁Airlines ▁had ▁a ▁giant ▁aircraft ▁painted ▁at op ▁the ▁ar ena ' s ▁roof , ▁with ▁an ▁American ▁Airlines ▁logo ▁in ▁the ▁center . ▁The ▁design ▁is ▁visible ▁from ▁air plan es ▁taking ▁off ▁and ▁landing ▁at ▁Miami ▁International ▁Airport , ▁where ▁American ▁has ▁a ▁hub . ▁The ▁ar ena ▁also ▁has ▁lux ury ▁sky box es ▁called ▁" Flags hip ▁Lou ng es ", ▁a ▁tra dem ark ▁originally ▁used ▁for ▁American ' s ▁prem ium - class ▁l ou ng es ▁at ▁certain ▁air ports . ▁ ▁Local ▁sport sc aster s ▁often ▁refer ▁to ▁the ▁ar ena ▁as ▁the ▁" tri ple - A ". ▁Some ▁sports ▁rep or