Bye Bye Office Depot Center

[rmackman]

Okay so in a short few years that this building has been in Sunrise, FL it has been called the National Car Rental Center, the Office Depot Center, and now it's the Bank Atlantic Center. In about 3 years or so maybe one of you guys can name the arena after yourself. Start jockeying for position now !

September 6, 2005

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment?s Arena, home of the Florida Panthers, renamed BankAtlantic Center

SSE and BankAtlantic partner to rename the arena and the Sinatra Theatre in Sunrise

Ft. Lauderdale and Sunrise, Fla.? BankAtlantic has partnered with The Center of It All. Florida?s Most Convenient Bank, along with Sunrise Sports & Entertainment today announced a ten-year agreement to rename the home of the Florida Panthers and Sunrise Sports & Entertainment. Under the terms of the agreement, ?BankAtlantic Center? is now the exclusive name of the 20,000-seat sports and entertainment venue most recently known as the Office Depot Center located on One Panther Parkway in Sunrise. The agreement takes effect immediately and the complete naming conversion on the building is now underway. Additionally, the arena?s new theatre configuration debuting this October will now be known as the Sinatra Theatre presented by BankAtlantic.

?We have been a part of the South Florida community for over 50 years and we are elated to affix our name to such a prestigious facility,? said BankAtlantic President Jarett Levan. ?The BankAtlantic Center, one of the most dynamic entertainment venues in the world, shares many philosophies with the Bank -- serving the community, open 7 days a week, providing outstanding services and being an active and important participant in the energy of South Florida."

In addition to the 10-year term of the contract, an option for an additional ten years has been detailed in the agreement. Moving forward BankAtlantic will be known as ?The Official Bank of the Florida Panthers? and will become the primary bank for Sunrise Sports & Entertainment. Some other elements featured in the partnership include entitlement signage, exclusive right to numerous BankAtlantic ATM locations throughout the venue, sponsorship of overtime in Panthers games and 7 p.m. weekday start times for Panthers games, promoting the fact BankAtlantic is open 7 days a week, as well as numerous other marketing and promotional opportunities. Also as part of the deal, BankAtlantic?s ?7? Mascot is invited to attend every Panther game, concert and event.

?Sunrise Sports & Entertainment and BankAtlantic are the perfect partners for this venture and the timing is also ideal,? said SSE Chief Operating Officer Michael Yormark. ?The two companies are similar in their approach to business, their unrelenting focus on customer service and their dedication to the South Florida community. What started out as a traditional sponsorship, expanded into a major long term commitment and we couldn?t be happier. This announcement is a reflection of the progress our company has made over the last couple of years. BankAtlantic already has 78 stores; this deal makes our facility their 79th location.?

The Center of It All has provided South Florida with a full schedule of spectacular events since the building?s opening in October of 1998. Last year Billboard Magazine ranked the venue 13th in North America in 2004 total gross ticket sales for concerts and shows. Packed houses and sold out events have already dominated the 2005 lineup with performers like Elton John, Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Destiny?s Child, Motley Crue, Yanni, Josh Groban, Green Day and many more. And with events such as Neil Diamond and Pavarotti, the NHL?s Florida Panthers and the ABA?s Florida Pit Bulls, and all the legendary acts scheduled for the Sinatra Theatre, the BankAtlantic Center looks to move into the top ten in North America in 2005.

The timing of the naming coincides with the return to the ice for the National Hockey League?s Florida Panthers, whose regular season begins Oct. 5 against the Atlanta Thrashers. It provides BankAtlantic with extensive local, regional, national and international brand exposure through interior signage, media coverage and marketing initiatives.

Office Depot restructures agreement: Sunrise Sports & Entertainment also announced today that Office Depot has restructured its partnership. The newly revised agreement supplants the final seven years of the previous naming rights deal to the home of the Florida Panthers. Office Depot will continue to be one of the premier partners of SSE. The new Office Depot partnership includes arena signage as well as print and promotional benefits. Office Depot will also receive advertising in SSE?s monthly entertainment publication Live On Stage.

About BankAtlantic:

BankAtlantic, "Florida's Most Convenient Bank", with $6 billion is assets and 78 stores is one of the largest financial institutions headquartered in Florida and provides a comprehensive offering of banking services and products via its broad network of community stores throughout Florida and its online banking division - BankAtlantic.com. BankAtlantic has 78 stores and operates more than 200 conveniently located ATMs. BankAtlantic is open 7 days a week and offers holiday hours, extended weekday hours, including several stores open until midnight, Totally Free Online Banking & Bill Pay, 24/7 Customer Service Center, Totally Free Change Exchange coin counters and free retail and business checking with a free gift. BankAtlantic is a wholly owned subsidiary of BankAtlantic Bancorp (NYSE: BBX). For further information, please visit our websites: www.BankAtlantic.com

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment:

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment is the premier company of its kind in South Florida and serves as an umbrella for all of its operating entities: the BankAtlantic Center, the Florida Panthers, incredible ICE, the Sinatra Theatre presented by BankAtlantic, SSE Publications, SSE Strategic Partnerships and SSE Business Development. Home to more than 185 events annually, the Florida Panthers Hockey Club, the ABA's Florida Pit Bulls and monthly publications Live On Stage Credentials and the new Unrestricted, the BankAtlantic Center welcomes more than 2 million guests annually. The facility seats 19,250 for hockey, offers six food courts, six meeting/function rooms, more than 70 executive suites, the Spirit Airlines Funway, the WCI Private Club, state of the art LED signage, Carls Furniture patios, the Johnnie Walker Lounge, the Budweiser Terrace and many other exclusive features.

Upcoming events include Foo Fighters & Weezer (September 10), Professional Bull Riders (September 17 & 18), Disney on Ice (September 21-25), Luciano Pavarotti (October 1), Neil Diamond (October 21), MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic (December 31) and Juanes (January 28).

The Sinatra Theatre presented by BankAtlantic will open on Oct. 8 with the theatre's debut performance by Liza Minnelli. Other upcoming theatre shows include The Beach Boys (Oct. 23), Patti LaBelle (Oct. 28), Kenny Rogers (Nov. 26), Linda Ronstadt (Jan. 13), Johnny Mathis (Jan. 22), Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme (Feb. 14), Donna Summer (Feb. 18), Engelbert Humperdinck (Feb. 21), Lily Tomlin (Mar. 3), Paul Anka (Mar. 18), Natalie Cole (Mar. 25), Frank Sinatra Jr. (May 6) and Don Rickles (TBA).

The Florida Pit Bulls of the American Basketball Association tip off their 2004-05 home schedule on Saturday, Nov. 5 against the Chattanooga Steamers. Other upcoming home contests include Nov. 15 (Nashville Rhythm), Nov. 21 (Charlotte Krunk) and Nov. 29 (Atlanta Vision).

About BankAtlantic Bancorp:

BankAtlantic Bancorp (NYSE: BBX) is a diversified financial services holding company and the parent company of BankAtlantic and Ryan Beck & Co. Through these subsidiaries, BankAtlantic Bancorp provides a full line of products and services encompassing consumer and commercial banking, brokerage and investment banking. For further information, please visit our website: www.BankAtlanticBancorp.com

· To receive future BankAtlantic Bancorp news releases or announcements directly via Email, please click on the Email Broadcast Sign Up button on our website: www.BankAtlanticBancorp.com.

BankAtlantic, ?Florida?s Most Convenient Bank,? Contact Info:

Public Relations:

Hattie Hess, Vice President, Public Relations

Telephone: (954) 940-6383, Fax: (954) 940-6310

Email: hhess@BankAtlantic.com

Public Relations for BankAtlantic:

Boardroom Communications

Caren Berg

Phone: (954) 370-8999, Fax: (954) 370-8892

Email: caren@boardroompr.com

BankAtlantic Bancorp Contact Info:

Donna Rouzeau,

Assistant Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

Email: CorpComm@BankAtlanticBancorp.com

Leo Hinkley,

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

Email: InvestorRelations@BankAtlanticBancorp.com

Phone: (954) 940-5300, Fax: (954) 940-5320

Mailing Address: BankAtlantic Bancorp, Investor Relations,

2100 West Cypress Creek Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33309

I don't know about you, but I hope a giant number 7 doesn't come and bug me during the hockey game. What the heck is Bank Atlantic's "7" mascot?

[yh]

Well, seeing as how naming rights were purchased by a nice sized regional bank, I suppose this means that there will be yet another name change once Bank of America or Wachovia buys them up and decides not to put their name on yet another sports venue.

[NJTank]

I hate when this happens this si the biggest problem with cooperate sponsors they change often.