The Milwaukee Bucks are one step closer to remaining in Wisconsin after the state voted this week in favor of spending $250 million in public funds on a new arena, according to ESPN.
BD+C has covered the proposed arena. Created by Milwaukee firm Eppstein Uhen Architects and global firm Populous, the venue will be built in downtown Milwaukee. Its design draws inspiration from both Lake Michigan, which borders Milwaukee, and from aspects of basketball, like high-arcing free throws. It is estimated to cost $500 million.
Funding a new arena has been an issue for the small market NBA team. Billionaires Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry purchased the Bucks in 2014 with the vow of keeping the team in the city. The NBA, however, said that the Bucks would need a new arena plan in place by 2017. Without a deal, the league would buy back the team and re-sell it, possibly to owners who would relocate it to either Seattle or Las Vegas.
Residents that opposed the arena plan cited the problems that arise when the government financially supports private sports entities, and referenced Miller Park. The Milwaukee Brewers' retractable roof stadium was publicly funded. Built in the late 1990s, it is still being paid off today.
The upside to a new arena is that the state still gets to recieve income tax from players and staff, and that the venue could bring new development, like entertainment and commercial spaces, residential buildings and parking facilities, to the area around the stadium. Most importantly, the state gets to keep the franchise that won the 1971 NBA Finals and currently has up-and-coming players like Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo (and head coach Jason Kidd) on the roster.
The bill now heads to Governor Scott Walker for his signature. Walker has been working with state officials to reach a deal and is expected to sign it.
Related Stories
Hotel Facilities | Apr 13, 2015
Figure-eight shaped hotel to open around PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics Facility
Just three miles away from the Olympic stadiums, the hotel will be a hub of its own.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 13, 2015
USTA breaks ground on what will be the country’s largest tennis complex
The 63-acre facility is being positioned as a cornerstone for a sports innovation and performance district in Lake Nona, Fla., a 7,000-acre master planned community that continues to expand.
Building Team Awards | Apr 10, 2015
14 projects that push AEC teaming to the limits
From Lean construction to tri-party IPD to advanced BIM/VDC coordination, these 14 Building Teams demonstrate the power of collaboration in delivering award-winning buildings. These are the 2015 Building Team Award winners.
Building Team Awards | Apr 9, 2015
Multifaced fitness center becomes campus landmark
A sloped running track and open-concept design put this Building Team to the test.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 9, 2015
Design for new Milwaukee Bucks arena is ‘modest and modernist’
Designed by local firm Eppstein Uhen Architects and global firm Populous, the sports venue will prominently feature a swoop, which some journalists and critics have likened to an inverted Nike swoosh.
Structural Materials | Mar 30, 2015
12 projects earn structural steel industry's top building award
Calatrava's soaring Innovation Science and Technology Building at Florida Polytechnic University is among the 12 projects honored by the American Institute of Steel Construction in the 2015 IDEAS² awards competition.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 24, 2015
Another plan for renovating Houston’s Astrodome blends public space and history
A ULI panel of experts recommends a $242 million renovation that converts the massive building into a park that ties into surrounding facilities.
Sponsored | Cladding and Facade Systems | Mar 24, 2015
Designers turn a struggling mall into a hub of learning and recreation
Architects help Nashville government transform a struggling mall into a new community space.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 19, 2015
Populous design wins competition for UK's most sustainable arena
The live-concert venue will seat an audience of 12,000, which the firm says will be masked by “the atmosphere and intimacy of a 4,000-seat amphitheatre.”
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 11, 2015
Foster + Partners wins bid for 2022 World Cup centerpiece stadium in Qatar
Norman Foster described the design as “an exciting step forward in stadium design—it will be the first to break the mold of the free-standing suburban concept, and instead anticipates the grid of this future city.”