The original Miami Jai Alai Fronton — the room where American Jai Alai grew up. Closed in 2019. Reopened February 13, 2026 as JAM Arena. Now the permanent home of the World Jai Alai League and every Friday night of Fall 2026.
On 37th Avenue in Miami's Airport West neighborhood, attached to Casino Miami. Fifteen minutes from downtown, ten from MIA.
3500 NW 37th Ave
Miami, FL 33142
The room is small on purpose. The furthest seat is closer to the frontis than home plate is to the mound.
Rows 1 — 3
Private four-seat boxes at floor level, immediately behind the safety line. You feel the pelota crack off the wall in your chest. In-box service, personal host.
Rows 4 — 10
Cushioned reserved seating, dead-center on the court. Best view of the numbered posts and the delantero's serve mechanics. Includes concourse & merch discount.
Rows 11 — 18
General-admission upper bowl. First-come seating, high-angle sightline — best for watching the geometry of the rally develop. Loudest section in the building.
Free parking, rideshare, Metrobus, and the Metrorail — MIA is closer than most of downtown Miami.
Casino Miami's main lot on 37th Ave is free for all ticket holders. Overflow parking on 36th Street. Pelota Suite holders park in Lot A, closest to the arena entrance.
Designated rideshare drop-off at the east gate on 37th Ave — separate lane from vehicle traffic, no waiting. Set your destination to "Casino Miami — Jai Alai Entrance."
Route 36 stops at NW 36th St and 37th Ave, one block from the entrance. Runs every 15 minutes on Friday evenings until midnight. Fare $2.25.
Earlington Heights station on the Green Line, then a 6-minute rideshare or the free casino shuttle from the station lot. Direct from downtown Miami in 12 minutes.
The building has hosted the sport since 1926. In 2024 we bought it, gutted it, and brought it back to broadcast standard.
1926 · February
Built for the Basque delegation of the Havana pelota circuit. First pelotari through the door: Erdoza Menor. Ticket price on opening night: $1.50.
1970s · The Golden Era
Weekly attendance regularly cleared 15,000 across multiple daily sessions. Miami Jai Alai was, by attendance, the biggest professional sport in the state — bigger than the Dolphins.
1988
A three-year players' strike splinters the North American circuit. Attendance never fully recovers. Casino gaming replaces Jai Alai as the industry's economic engine.
2019 · June 30
After 93 years, the last professional match is played on the original court. The building goes dark. The court is preserved but unused for the next six and a half years.
2024 · September
The World Jai Alai League — freshly restructured from the assets of a Florida-based operator — takes control of the venue and begins a $22M restoration.
2026 · February 13
The original 176-foot granite court is refinished. Seating rebuilt for 1,500 with modern sightlines. New broadcast lighting, LED ribbon boards, and the Cancha Lounge concourse. The room that started American Jai Alai is back.
Every Friday night of Fall 2026, from September 18 through the December championship series.