MILWAUKEE | New Bucks Arena and Development
 

http://www.bucksketball.com/wp-conte...ng-750x350.jpg

from today's JS Online:

link to rest of story.

http://media.jrn.com/images/b9947702...cakurl.1-0.jpg

:cheers:

Images from Bucks website and JS Online.

additional renderings from USA Today:

https://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/...g?w=1000&h=563

https://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/...g?w=1000&h=468

That's baller, unlike most arenas, the siting of this one could very well transform a large section of downtown Milwaukee. Driving a stake through the heart of the Park East white elephant at last!

Finally. The Bradley Center is well past its age

The Bradley Center is fairly young for buildings. I'd rather see it renovated, or at least scaled down to a niche that's between a new facility and MECCA, especially if this new arena doesn't hold hockey.

I know I'm in the minority but this design looks boring, and it has the redundant waterfall you can find at the Yum Center in Louisville or the Ford Center here in Evansville. Surely, they can do better than this.

If a new arena just has to be the answer, I'd like to see the unused Edmonton design used... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz3rRiLsbTU

i'm rather lukewarm on the design myself.

the article stated that the arena is designed to resemble waves coming off Lake Michigan.

meh.

i'd rather see a design that emulates the spirit and/or history of Milwaukee, not waves.

BUT... as long as they can freeze the wave to accommodate hockey and help Milwaukee land an NHL team, i can live with the design.

It's fu*kin awesome, just build it already.

Wisconsin Senate approves $250M funding plan for Milwaukee Bucks arena

Estimated Groundbreaking----->October

So they are closing off 4th St, 5th St, and Highland Ave to build this arena? :yuck: I thought the era of the superblock was over.

This is actually a steal for taxpayers as far as arenas go especially if the surrounding redevelopment also happens. Unlike most stadium projects, this is only 50% taxpayer funded.

5th street and Highland aren't through streets already. The only street that will be closed is 4th but that is not even set in stone yet. Technically they are turning it into a pedestrian mall connection between the arena and live district but again, it is still being discussed. It may also become a right of way for the streetcar. We should know soon.

I heard they were discussing another convention center as a part of this deal. Any way they could use the Bradley Center in a way that Detroit is using Cobo Arena?

Rumor is the convention center expansion could be gifted to the city from private sources. It's starting to sound like someone might have swung a deal when they approved the arena. Initial reports had an expansion valued at $200 million but who knows what is about to happen. Additionally, the Bucks president announced today that new, more detailed renderings will be released by the end of August and construction of the arena, practice facility, and mixed-use parking structure would start this year, likely by October. He also announced that private developers are lining up to build around the arena and they are close to finalizing the land sale agreement for all of the Park East land east of the river. Milwaukee seems to be on the brink of a major boom.

Conceivably, shovels for both the arena and streetcar could go into the ground in 2 months as well as 2 (maybe more) high-rises and numerous smaller, infill projects by the end of the year. Very exciting times in Brew City.

Poor Wisconsin taxpayers. Hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars flushed down the toilet.

Not true. . . they'll be getting a new arena for their basketball team. . . [/dummy]

. . .

All taxpayer funded sports venues are a scam. The leagues and team ownership, a business by any definition of the word, should pay for new facilities not the general public. The ownership knows they can extort cities and counties because they have them over a barrel. A single threat to move away and municipalities cave. And for those that say special tax districts and financial incentives are the same thing, sports teams are actually asking for their facilities to be payed for, not just a long term tax break. Even Walmart doesn't ask for that shit.

If tickets to see the games were free for all the taxpayers that funded the facility, you'd have a point. But since that's not the case, this is just another example of sports socialism, American style. Privatize the profits, socialize the losses.

^ Yep.

What a horrible, disgraceful thing this is. Just what jobs are the Milwaukee Bucks creating?

How are they benefitting the regional economy? They aren't.

Americans don't realize just how easily they can live without a professional sports franchise. We have ourselves convinced that these are MUST HAVES, playing right into the palms of these giant leagues and associations.

I LOVE a good basketball or football or soccer game, or a tennis match. But to hell with building those asshats a stadium. Build your own. Wanna leave? Leave, I'll just watch it on TV.

Many Wisconsinites support this.

Time to celebrate! :cheers:

Walker signs Bucks arena deal, fall construction planned

Milwaukee County and Bucks to announce completion of Park East land sale

Approval from the Milwaukee Common Council is the last approval needed and they are widely expected to approve the final portion of the arena deal September 22.

Let's break ground already! Only another month or two...:cheers: