Herb kohl will chip in for new Bucks arena

Don Walker has a story out on JS Online that states that Heb Kohl is willing to chip in for a new arena in order to keep the Bucks in Milwaukee. Not too many owners will put up their own cash for something they won't own, but for Kohl to do this in order to keep the team here, well, maybe he's not the horrible owner that people think he is.

My favorite line of the story is where, when asked about the chance of the team staying in Milwaukee without a new arena, Kohl said the league would say "the chance are not robust".

If Minnesota is thinking about putting up almost $1 billion for a football stadium (used 10 times per year by the Vikes), I would think an entire sports / hotel / office space / shops / bar - resturant complex for the Bucks in Milwaukee (used 41 times by Bucks, 18 by MU, Admirals, etc) would be far cheaper and a much better investment.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/79...ses-team-share

Minnesota isnt going to be putting up $1 billion. The plan was for the team to put up about half, the State to put up about 40% and the City about 10%. Last night's vote was approved, but is forcing the team to put up about $100 million more. Not sure if that is going to sit well with team officials. (OT...but my friend sent me this clip of what the new LA "stadium" is supposed to look like, wow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFyFC...layer_embedded)

As I said on another board, im skeptical of any plan that calls for the public funds, whether they come from the State or the City. I would like to see some sort of plan, rather than just spoken words at a season-ending press conference.

Cool video, and awesome complex, but LA has had teams and flat out didn't support them. Why do they deserve another?

As far as the funding for the stadiums - I do think the taxpayers should fit the majority of the bill. There is so much taxed money that comes from having these teams that the cities and states make money off of them. Team owners? Why? They could go to another city and have a stadium already built for them. They should be treated like any other rental/tenant situation. Yes, there are corporations that own their buildings, but many do not - many rent.

When the Bradley Center has a concert, or Marquette game, or Admirals game - who gets the cash? Not the Bucks, not Herb Kohl. It is not their facility, they are a simply a tenant.

It would be nice for Milwaukee to build a facility like the one shown in that video, but there are different governing boards in Milwaukee. the smartest thing for the city to do, and I have been saying this for years, is to merge the Wisconsin Center District and the Bradley Center. They lose millions each year bidding against each other. Merge them, build a new stadium that is wrapped into phase 3 of the Midwest Express/Frontier/TBA convention center and make Milwaukee a destination city as opposed to the opposite. As much as I hate to say it, maybe it is time for the Arena to go. Take the space for phase 3, and build it in with a new facility where the Arena and auditorium are and have the Arena events held at the Bradley Center during construction, then, when that phase is complete, build in the restaurant/hotel/parking complex where the Bradley Center is.

My thoughts for what they are worth.

Build a complex, not just an 'arena'.

1. Put the baskeball playing facility in the location where the arena currently is located. This would eliminate the problem IWB referenced with competing facilities, and keep the new facility in the same location with a close proximity to the convention center.

2. Have the south portion of the complex a hotel that is part of the overall complex and also linked to the convention center. Downtown can use more hotel space and it would be very convenient not only for events at the new stadium (visiting teams, fans, etc) but also for selling larger scale conventions.

3. On the north portion of the complex (where the BC is) here is where you can have additional bar/resturants, shops, maybe a microbrewery or one of the local breweries, House of Blues, etc.

4. I'm not an engineer, but is it possible to have office space above the actaul basketball facility? If so, add office space above the west end (bars, resturants, shops, etc) and above some if not all of the hoops facility. At the very top have an upscale resturant / lounge.

5. Make sure to address what additional convention space may be needed within the new facility.

A hotel on one end would help with some of the cost, especially if there is direct access to the sports facility.
By adding office space to the complex, again you would have additional use for the facility.
By eliminating the arena you would then make this complex The Facility which will likely increase its year round useage.
In one or two of the corners of the upper level of the sports facility have resturant access like Friday's at Miller Park.
Not sure what else you need in the stadium to help an NBA franchise, but I'm sure the league will be happy to give insight.

Bottom line, make it a place to go year round (hotel, convention, resturants, major facility for concerts and events, etc).

Not sure what the cost would be, but being a major league and NBA city brings a city a ton of money. Just look at what Miller Park did for the Brewers and the city. Hosting the all star game alone for one weekend brought millions to the city.

Love the last two posts. The close-quarters competition makes no sense from a city-draw perspective, more revenue streams are needed to make both complexes as viable as possible, though my one question would be where do the Panthers then play? Share the venue with the Bucks and Marquette or move back to campus?

With Milwaukee leaving the arena - it may be time to consider taking down the arena and building the new facility there.

Take the Wisconsin hall of fame plaques and expand on it having a Wisconsin Hall a fame room / hall as part of the new facility that would be big enough to host events.

Will be tough to do. The Bradley Center and the Wisconsin Center District are two different entities. That would be like saying, "hey, rip down that Burger King so the McDonald's next door can add a drive through." Not saying that can't happen, but there will be either money exchanging hands or a new organization in order for that to happen.

I have said all along that the Wisconsin Center District should take over the Bradley Center, maybe the time is now - but with Kohl chipping in, the Bradley Center staff might have to drive the bus and I don't know if the WCD will be willing to let that happen.