Bucks announce sale of team

[TheEndless7]

How much of Miller Park was publically financed? A new NBA arena will surely be far less dependent on public money

 

According to Wikipedia 290 million of Miller Park was publicly funded.

 

Also according to Wikipedia the total cost was 400 million (533 in 2014 dollars). So what, about 73% was publicly funded?

 

Take those numbers for what they're worth as they are from Wikipedia and I didn't look at the citations.

[patrickgpe]

interesting outside of the box idea, how about an area by Miller Park. Maybe the employee parking lot just west of the stadium. Parking would no longer be an issue downtown. Maybe Mark A would invest some in the arena, if he knew he could get some parking revenue. Still close enough to downtown. Creates a hub between Miller Park, the basketball arena, and potowatami. Moves the arena closer to Waukesha and the suburbs to the west. Seems like a no lose situation.

[patrickgpe]

the cell still has a need. Milwaukee and the wave are great tenants for the cell. They cannot draw the attendance needed for using the BC or the new arena. I think the BC is the arena that needs to be torn down.

 

The issue that I see now, is that if we get a new arena, Milwaukee would have 3 basketball arena and 10 music venues (turner, rave, riverside, pabst, Milwaukee theatre, BMO pavilion, marcus Amphitheatre, BC, Cell, new arena) that brings in national acts.

 

For a metropolitan population of 1 million people, this is WAY too much.

[1992casey]

interesting outside of the box idea, how about an area by Miller Park.

 

It's not really outside the box. The Pettits originally wanted to put the Bradley Center next to County Stadium. The Brewers fought hard against the idea, and the community rejected it.

[paul253]

The issue that I see now, is that if we get a new arena, Milwaukee would have 3 basketball arena and 10 music venues

 

But it's not like the three arenas are ONLY used for basketball or the other venues are ONLY used for music. The BC is obviously used for hockey, wrestling, MMA, concerts, monster truck, and so on. The Cell is also used for soccer and I think things like circuses. Some of the music venues are also used for comedy shows and plays and not all of them are year round facilities. It probably is a little much but as long as we aren't supporting them with taxpayer money I'm not really concerned. They can compete with each other and it one fails then so be it.

 

I do agree though. I think if we get a new arena the BC needs to go and the Cell could probably stay, at least as long as the Wave keep playing.

[RockCoCougars]

I'd be shocked if the new arena isn't directly north of the current BC. If it happens, there is no way that it won't be downtown, and also no way that the BC is left standing. No need to keep a white elephant around with big time maintenance costs.

[PrinceFielderx1]

Miller Park tax wont end till 2020 and I'd bet that will be extended, and they want to tax Milwaukee more in a recession we never got out of? The county's tax for miller park is a penny for every $10 spent. I believe. God help you guys...

[owbc]

Miller Park tax wont end till 2020 and I'd bet that will be extended, and they want to tax Milwaukee more in a recession we never got out of? God help you guys...

 

Sales tax in Milwaukee is 5.6%. If the stadium tax is retired, sales tax will be 5.5%. It doesn't really make much of a difference.

 

Isn't the sales tax in Ohio like 7-8%?

[Godspeed]

The county's tax for miller park is a penny for every $10 spent. I believe. God help you guys...

The horror...

[PrinceFielderx1]

Miller Park tax wont end till 2020 and I'd bet that will be extended, and they want to tax Milwaukee more in a recession we never got out of? God help you guys...

 

Sales tax in Milwaukee is 5.6%. If the stadium tax is retired, sales tax will be 5.5%. It doesn't really make much of a difference.

 

Isn't the sales tax in Ohio like 7-8%?

 

God that's low!!!! My bad... I'm jealous.

 

7%. If you guys think yours it too low they should up it to 7% and pay off the stadium in a couple years instead of waiting till 2020. If the Bucs stadium is paid for with tax payer funds like Miller Park was then they need to up the sales tax by 1.4% to 7% or 7.5% and pay it off 10 years or less. Don't prolong the tax for 15 years or however long it's been. The quicker you can pay these things off the better.

 

To be honest I'm surprised they are only contributing 100 million each. Should be closer to 200 million each with the money these guys have. 300 million on the tax payer when you have billions and can expect to make a huge profit on investment is cheap or should i say taking advantage of the Milwaukee tax payer.

[paul253]

Don't forget about naming rights. That should bring in $40-$50 million.

[Bombers]

And what about Marquette? I don't know what they pay in rent to use the BC, but Marquette has deep pockets and so does their alumni. I would go after them for money as a new stadium would be beneficial to them too.

 

As for the tax goes. the .1 should be a permanent tax. We will always need funding for sports teams and to me the .1 % is very low as our sales tax rate is low compared to other area's. Even when the tax ends in 2020, I would keep it going and continue bank the funds.

[danzig6767]

And what about Marquette? I don't know what they pay in rent to use the BC, but Marquette has deep pockets and so does their alumni. I would go after them for money as a new stadium would be beneficial to them too.

 

As for the tax goes. the .1 should be a permanent tax. We will always need funding for sports teams and to me the .1 % is very low as our sales tax rate is low compared to other area's. Even when the tax ends in 2020, I would keep it going and continue bank the funds.

 

Or maybe keep the tax on and fix the countless roads in this city and country which are half potholes half roads.

[Baldkin]

I said knock down the US Cellular Arena, build the arena there, expand the convention center, and connect the arena with the convention center (like it was when it was MECCA). This could bring some huge conventions to Milwaukee, providing there is hotel space. The issue would be the size of the US Cellular footprint would likely be way too small, unless they also knock down the Milwaukee Theater, which won't happen.

 

The BC is gone with a new arena. The Cell is smaller, in much better shape (internally) and will still host smaller events (UWM games, Wave games, etc).

 

The BC is going to need 100 million in fixes over the next 10 years, every dime of that 100 million could go towards a new arena as well.

[paul253]

Or maybe keep the tax on and fix the countless roads in this city and country which are half potholes half roads.

 

Yeah I was going to suggest using it for county parks and non-profit attractions like museums and the Zoo. If we build a new arena they should include enough money-making opportunities (sponsorships, luxury boxes, space for multiple restaurants to rent out, maybe an attached hotel) to fund improvements when needed.

[jjgott]

Apparently the NBA has the option to purchase the Bucks back from the new investors if a new arena is not in the works by 2017: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10818521/nba-buy-milwaukee-bucks-no-arena-construction-2017

[paul253]

I forgot to link the article from the JS the other day and I can't find it now but the two new owners seem VERY confident that a new arena will get built. They haven't mentioned anything specific but I'd guess they either have local investors lined up already or are confident they will find some.

[patrickgpe]

I forgot to link the article from the JS the other day and I can't find it now but the two new owners seem VERY confident that a new arena will get built. They haven't mentioned anything specific but I'd guess they either have local investors lined up already or are confident they will find some.

 

 

Maybe they know something that the public doesn't. Hopefully there are private investors lined up to contribute to the arena. I think any public money is a 50/50 proposition of passing at the best.

[fondybrewfan]

It all depends on how much. I mean if they can get them the money they need through a TIF District that should seem pretty palatable. If they need to do some county wide tax or fee then it gets a lot more difficult.

 

I still don't think I am a big fan building the new arena downtown again but it sure seems like that is inevitable. The biggest reason I love Miller Park so much is that it is so easy to get to and the parking is a breeze.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

It all depends on how much. I mean if they can get them the money they need through a TIF District that should seem pretty palatable. If they need to do some county wide tax or fee then it gets a lot more difficult.

 

I still don't think I am a big fan building the new arena downtown again but it sure seems like that is inevitable. The biggest reason I love Miller Park so much is that it is so easy to get to and the parking is a breeze.

 

 

I totally agree. I won't go to Bucks games, because it is downtown. Even if I get free tickets I won't go. There has to be a concert I over the top really want to see for me to go there. The only thing that will bring me into the downtown area is going to a different restaurant a couple times a year.

 

I want to try out the Milwaukee Public Market though.

[JimH5]

I think it would be easier to sell the public on a new venue if we saw models and renderings of a truly world class, 21st century building. Something like the awesome structures built for the Beijing Olympics, or an iconic building like the Sydney Opera House. Something that will garner worldwide attention.

 

SE Wisconsin has millions of people who couldn't care less about the NBA and the Bucks. So we're not going to get fired up about a big rectangular ugly brick box, built to house games we don't care about.

[yoshii8]

I fell like the BC is pretty darn easy to get to also. I've also have never had a problem w/ parking.

 

I agree w/ JimH, I think now that they have $200 million in the bank for the new arena, and they set a goal of breaking ground in the next 12 months, they should come up w/ some plans that the public can see. That would be helpful for people to visualize it, and it also becomes a little more real.

[rwa12]

I agree Jim. SE Wisconsin has a pre-existing interest in architecture, thanks to Wright. Make it a place that is a talking point. If they put up a Barclay's Center, it'll just be another box. Miller Park is a beautiful building, one up it.

[FVBrewerFan]

It will be downtown, that's a given. I agree with JimH, they need to have some really nice scale models they can show off. A picture is worth a thousand words after all. They need to make it less about the Bucks, and more about a world class facility they can use for many purposes. Here's a thought. How about having a Wisconsin Sports Hall of Fame and Museum housed there? Works very well at Lambeau Field, and I think it would be a really cool thing to have in conjunction with the arena itself.

[paul253]

I won't go to Bucks games, because it is downtown.

 

I'm surprised so many people have expressed this. As others have mentioned, the BC is pretty easy to get to. You literally get off the freeway at McKinley Ave, go east about the equivalent of 4 blocks, turn right and there it is. For the most part parking is fairly easy as there are multiple structures around. I actually think MP, even though you see it right there from the freeway, is just as complicated getting too. And forget about getting out of those lots after the game. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason. There are cars everywhere and there are not nearly enough exits from the lot to main streets.

 

All that being said, as much as I thought MP should have been downtown I think good things COULD happen if the arena was built between MP and the casino. Having lived in Milwaukee all my life I'm not confident in it, but the opportunity would certainly be there.