Arena Construction - Make pitch for ASG in 22/23. pg 95

[stellation]

Nice to see they got Supreme's car in there.

We call those "scooters" here.

[CountMe3Outs]

Further details of the WESC were clarified at the Bucks MVP meeting held Friday night, 12/2/2016 at the H-D Museum Garage. The overal layout is similar to other Populous projects, namely Vegas' T-Mobile Arena and Amway Center in Orlando, except even better tailored toward an intimate basketball experience. Unlike some of the octagonal 'basketball-only' arenas (Indianapolis, Brooklyn, Phoenix), an indoor soccer field, running track, rodeo ring or hockey rink can be placed while still maintaining good viewability for thousands of prime lower seats.

The lower seating bowl will hold about 10,000 -- the suite level above that about 1,000 --- the upper level about 6,000.
The "Panorama Club", situated above (and projecting out from) the upper deck, will be open to all ticketed patrons. It will include an outdoor balcony (open "when it's warm") and offer city views to the East. The BC holds about 10,000+ upper and 8,000 lower. Entry to most seating will be from the "the top down", eliminating many of the space-wasting exits (vomitoires) in otherwise prime areas.

Levels in the WESC are, in ascending order (with approximate heights taken from city planning documents): event ("grade"), mezzanine (17'), main concourse (31'), suite (44'), upper concourse (73') and "sky mezzanine" (89'). And, let's not forget the bowl's air handler, situated at about 102'. The WESC's uppermost seats are below those in the BC, and the facility will be much more intimate.

The seating geometry is truly optimized for basketball (and, actually most other events as well). The "end zone" seats are focused on the baselines of the basketall court (basically aimed at each basketball goal).

The legroom and seatroom will both be mercifully expanded from the BC -- especially for those of us crammed into the BC's "steerage zone" upper deck. Lower deck seats will be "true seats with armrests" NOT "folding chairs". An event-level club will offer "close player encounters". There apparently will be a wheelchair section very close to the playing floor.

Each level in the building will have its own kitchen, as opposed to the single kitchen in the BC.
The concession areas, situated near the inner perimeter, will allow "live action" viewing of events, even while patrons wait in lines.
ALL concession stands (permanent) will have the ability to actually prepare food, as opposed to the Grill 71 in the BC. Food will be equally available on every level -- no more need to go to different concourses to get 'the good stuff'.

Much careful thought and planning is being dedicated to this landmark new facility - when finished, it will be among the finest. A true soujourn into true 'arena heaven' from years in BC purgatory.

[paulpressey25]

Levels in the WESC are, in ascending order (with approximate heights taken from city planning documents): event ("grade"), mezzanine (17'), main concourse (31'), suite (44'), upper concourse (73') and "sky mezzanine" (89'). And, let's not forget the bowl's air handler, situated at about 102'. The WESC's uppermost seats are below those in the BC, and the facility will be much more intimate.

Would love for you to do a comparison of the height from court of the highest level seat in the new arena versus highest level in BC

[CountMe3Outs]

As for the BC's maximum seat height, per the Sept. 25, 1988 Milwaukee Journal Magazine supplement ('Bradley', page 12) "And even for a seat at the top of the bowl - 80 feet above the playing floor..."

[CountMe3Outs]

The top concourse elevation in the WESC is at about 73 feet, and since most of its seats are accesssed from the concourse level, that sets the 'nominal' max. height. However, there appeared to be several rows of seats above this level at one end of the upper seating, but it's easier getting nuclear weapon design details than this info.

[Pachinko_]

sorry I havent read the whole thread
any chance they put the old mecca floor in there? or a replica?

[yannisk]

I cannot understand how Orleans have the "Smoothie King Center" since we have the Smoothie King

[imithanos]

Will there be a museum for Bucks history in the new Arena or is it something not used in the NBA??

[MickeyDavis]

Will there be a museum for Bucks history in the new Arena or is it something not used in the NBA??

I've been a big proponent for some type of Bucks "Hall of Fame" or something similar. Many are indifferent to such an idea given the Bucks lack of success during the Kohl era.

[MickeyDavis]

A downtown entertainment center that the Milwaukee Bucks will develop just east of the basketball team's future arena received compliments and a unanimous vote for approval Monday from the Plan Commission.

"The architecture is beautiful," said commission member Whitney Gould, who praised the design as transparent, gritty and paying homage to the city's industrial heritage.

Said commission member Stephanie Bloomingdale, "I'm very, very impressed with the design. I'm excited to see how this is a place where Milwaukee comes together."

The detailed design plans from Bucks affiliate Deer District LLC are conceptual and could change before the project is completed. The Common Council is to review the plans in January.

Deer District plans to begin construction this spring and complete the entertainment center and arena by fall 2018.

The entertainment center will feature three buildings, separated by two public walkways, totaling 104,000 square feet, east of N. 4th St. between W. Highland and W. Juneau avenues. It will replace a former city-owned parking structure that Deer District is demolishing.

The Bucks haven't yet disclosed the names of restaurants, taverns and other businesses for the development.

But the conceptual plans show a possible craft brewery in the largest building. It would be on the site's northern portion, with brewing equipment showcased behind large windows facing both N. 4th St. and W. Juneau Ave.

That building will have up to four stories. It will be next to a year-round beer garden within a covered pedestrian walkway in the middle of the development.

That walkway will run between the two larger buildings, from N. Old World Third St. to the outdoor plaza west of the entertainment center. The plaza will replace one closed block of N. 4th St. and will connect the entertainment center to the future Bucks arena.

A shorter walkway, connecting N. 4th St. to W. Highland Ave., runs between the middle building and a smaller building on the site's southern portion. Deer District's plans show both of those buildings with two stories.

The design seeks to create an active area, both inside the entertainment center and outside on the plaza, throughout the year, said Matt Rinka, of Rinka Chung Architecture. The firm worked on the design with two other firms: Gensler and Office of James Burnett.

Rinka told commission members that the outdoor plaza is designed to be less of a grand statement and more like a place where people feel comfortable.

"This is a space for everybody," Rinka said.

That point resonated with Bloomingdale. She mentioned her children, ages 17 and 14, would likely use the plaza as a place to meet their friends.

"They're looking for a place to go," she said.

Deer District is building the Bucks arena west of N. 4th St., just north of the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The $524 million project, including a new parking structure north of W. Juneau Ave. and east of N. 6th St., features $250 million in state, county and city funds.

The entertainment center is being privately financed.

[humanrefutation]

Will there be a museum for Bucks history in the new Arena or is it something not used in the NBA??

I've been a big proponent for some type of Bucks "Hall of Fame" or something similar. Many are indifferent to such an idea given the Bucks lack of success during the Kohl era.

To me, having a Bucks "Hall-of-Fame" makes a helluva lot more sense than retiring the jersey and number of every consequential Buck in history.

Get Bridgeman, Dandridge, Lanier, and Winters off of that banner and stick them in the Bucks HOF, along with Marques, TC, Ray, Big Dog, Cassell, Michael Redd, etc. You can argue they should pull Jonny Mac's retired number as well, though he's been the voice of the Bucks for so long that I'm inclined to let him stay under the Bob Uecker Rule.

[EastSideBucksFan]

sorry I havent read the whole thread
any chance they put the old mecca floor in there? or a replica?

Nope. That ship has sailed.

I wish they would have though.

[MickeyDavis]

Will there be a museum for Bucks history in the new Arena or is it something not used in the NBA??

I've been a big proponent for some type of Bucks "Hall of Fame" or something similar. Many are indifferent to such an idea given the Bucks lack of success during the Kohl era.

To me, having a Bucks "Hall-of-Fame" makes a helluva lot more sense than retiring the jersey and number of every consequential Buck in history.

Get Bridgeman, Dandridge, Lanier, and Winters off of that banner and stick them in the Bucks HOF, along with Marques, TC, Ray, Big Dog, Cassell, Michael Redd, etc. You can argue they should pull Jonny Mac's retired number as well, though he's been the voice of the Bucks for so long that I'm inclined to let him stay under the Bob Uecker Rule.

Agreed. I doubt they "unretiire" any numbers (they should though but that's another topic). There are plenty of good players to honor. Many in the Packers Hall of Fame weren't great NFL players, just very good Packer players. Speaking of the Packers HOF I certainly wouldn't expect anything as large or elaborate but I find it hard to believe they couldn't find room within the new arena for a decent sized space to honor players from the past.

[Thunder Muscle]

Further details of the WESC were clarified at the Bucks MVP meeting held Friday night, 12/2/2016 at the H-D Museum Garage. The overal layout is similar to other Populous projects, namely Vegas' T-Mobile Arena and Amway Center in Orlando, except even better tailored toward an intimate basketball experience. Unlike some of the octagonal 'basketball-only' arenas (Indianapolis, Brooklyn, Phoenix), an indoor soccer field, running track, rodeo ring or hockey rink can be placed while still maintaining good viewability for thousands of prime lower seats.

The lower seating bowl will hold about 10,000 -- the suite level above that about 1,000 --- the upper level about 6,000.
The "Panorama Club", situated above (and projecting out from) the upper deck, will be open to all ticketed patrons. It will include an outdoor balcony (open "when it's warm") and offer city views to the East. The BC holds about 10,000+ upper and 8,000 lower. Entry to most seating will be from the "the top down", eliminating many of the space-wasting exits (vomitoires) in otherwise prime areas.

Levels in the WESC are, in ascending order (with approximate heights taken from city planning documents): event ("grade"), mezzanine (17'), main concourse (31'), suite (44'), upper concourse (73') and "sky mezzanine" (89'). And, let's not forget the bowl's air handler, situated at about 102'. The WESC's uppermost seats are below those in the BC, and the facility will be much more intimate.

The seating geometry is truly optimized for basketball (and, actually most other events as well). The "end zone" seats are focused on the baselines of the basketall court (basically aimed at each basketball goal).

The legroom and seatroom will both be mercifully expanded from the BC -- especially for those of us crammed into the BC's "steerage zone" upper deck. Lower deck seats will be "true seats with armrests" NOT "folding chairs". An event-level club will offer "close player encounters". There apparently will be a wheelchair section very close to the playing floor.

Each level in the building will have its own kitchen, as opposed to the single kitchen in the BC.
The concession areas, situated near the inner perimeter, will allow "live action" viewing of events, even while patrons wait in lines.
ALL concession stands (permanent) will have the ability to actually prepare food, as opposed to the Grill 71 in the BC. Food will be equally available on every level -- no more need to go to different concourses to get 'the good stuff'.

Much careful thought and planning is being dedicated to this landmark new facility - when finished, it will be among the finest. A true soujourn into true 'arena heaven' from years in BC purgatory.

Thanks for the information! I think it is going to be crazy how much of an improvement it is over the BC. I wonder when pricing information comes out. Then again I guess they have another season at the BC so may not come out until later 2017/early 2018.

[humanrefutation]

I've been a big proponent for some type of Bucks "Hall of Fame" or something similar. Many are indifferent to such an idea given the Bucks lack of success during the Kohl era.

To me, having a Bucks "Hall-of-Fame" makes a helluva lot more sense than retiring the jersey and number of every consequential Buck in history.

Get Bridgeman, Dandridge, Lanier, and Winters off of that banner and stick them in the Bucks HOF, along with Marques, TC, Ray, Big Dog, Cassell, Michael Redd, etc. You can argue they should pull Jonny Mac's retired number as well, though he's been the voice of the Bucks for so long that I'm inclined to let him stay under the Bob Uecker Rule.

Agreed. I doubt they "unretiire" any numbers (they should though but that's another topic). There are plenty of good players to honor. Many in the Packers Hall of Fame weren't great NFL players, just very good Packer players. Speaking of the Packers HOF I certainly wouldn't expect anything as large or elaborate but I find it hard to believe they couldn't find room within the new arena for a decent sized space to honor players from the past.

Yeah, I agree with everything you said. The Packers HOF is the gold standard for team Hall-of-Fames. The Bucks, frankly, haven't been historically relevant enough to garner enough material for an exhibit that expansive, but they can do something like the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame - plaques with information - and add a few neat images and footage and retro uniforms to decorate it up, etc.

[HKPackFan]

To me, having a Bucks "Hall-of-Fame" makes a helluva lot more sense than retiring the jersey and number of every consequential Buck in history.

Get Bridgeman, Dandridge, Lanier, and Winters off of that banner and stick them in the Bucks HOF, along with Marques, TC, Ray, Big Dog, Cassell, Michael Redd, etc. You can argue they should pull Jonny Mac's retired number as well, though he's been the voice of the Bucks for so long that I'm inclined to let him stay under the Bob Uecker Rule.

Agreed. I doubt they "unretiire" any numbers (they should though but that's another topic). There are plenty of good players to honor. Many in the Packers Hall of Fame weren't great NFL players, just very good Packer players. Speaking of the Packers HOF I certainly wouldn't expect anything as large or elaborate but I find it hard to believe they couldn't find room within the new arena for a decent sized space to honor players from the past.

Yeah, I agree with everything you said. The Packers HOF is the gold standard for team Hall-of-Fames. The Bucks, frankly, haven't been historically relevant enough to garner enough material for an exhibit that expansive, but they can do something like the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame - plaques with information - and add a few neat images and footage and retro uniforms to decorate it up, etc.

Hall of LAME would be easier to fill than a Hall of Fame.

I'm sure there's a little bit of space they can keep unbuilt off to the side, which will eventually be the Giannis Olympus Hall. With his jersey, sneakers, MVP trophies and NBA Championship Trophy.

[WC NBA Fan]

Will there be a museum for Bucks history in the new Arena or is it something not used in the NBA??

I've been to every arena in the NBA and while most of them don't have museums, some have pretty cool areas that reflect their team's history.

The best one is in Indiana. The entire lower concourse is not only a shout out to Pacer history but of the history of basketball in Indiana on every level from high school to the pros. You see stuff like Larry Bird's high school uniform, old newspaper articles of big games in the state's history, pictures of the best players in the history of the state, team pictures of Pacer teams throughout history and so on.

The upper concourse of the Amway Center in Orlando has a pretty nice shrine to the history of the Magic. It's not throughout the entire concourse but rather just one certain section. Still a very well done shrine.

[HKPackFan]

http://fox6now.com/2016/12/08/bucks-skillsmart-create-platform-to-connect-job-seekers-with-careers-in-new-downtown-arena-district/

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks are committee to hiring local residents for arena construction and the new arena district in downtown Milwaukee, and they’ve partnered with a company called SkillSmart to help find qualified workers.

The Bucks on Thursday, December 8th announced the partnership, creating a workforce development platform for careers in the new arena district — both during the construction process and for end-use positions in the arena and surrounding development.

The platform can be accessed at www.bucksarenajobs.com or www.wisconsinesc.com/careers and will serve as a resource for both job seekers and employers.

“This project is as much about creating meaningful and long-lasting employment for the citizens of Milwaukee who need it most as it is about creating a world-class venue for the people of Wisconsin to enjoy,” Bucks Senior Vice President Alex Lasry said in a statement. “As part of our development agreement we made a commitment to partner with the city and county on workforce development initiatives that will truly make a difference for jobseekers in Wisconsin. The SkillSmart platform will not only align Milwaukee jobseekers with available positions in and around the arena, but create a more qualified pipeline of potential employees that will be mutually beneficial for jobseekers and employers throughout the region. We can’t wait to begin rolling this tool out in communities throughout the city and begin providing meaningful opportunities for local residents interested expanding their skill sets and finding employment within this vibrant new development.”

“Milwaukee County has already placed more than 100 individuals in jobs averaging more than $15 per hour through our UpLift MKE partnership with the Bucks, just since the beginning of the year,” Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele said in a statement. “These efforts are targeted directly to workers, particularly those in and near the Sherman Park area, who most need support to successfully climb the ladder of opportunity. The potential to benefit our community here can’t be overstated. The Bucks’ commitment to build the future in Milwaukee will have a profound and lasting impact on our community.”

According to Bucks officials, construction of the new arena is expected to generate over 3,000 jobs, while an additional $230 million in economic development is already pledged or under construction in the surrounding area that will produce thousands more family-supporting careers in the coming years.

This new platform powered by SkillSmart will build a pipeline of qualified applicants for construction and end-use positions throughout the district. The site breaks down available positions in terms of necessary skills and prerequisites, while inviting jobseekers to build a personal profile based around their work experience, training and qualifications. The tool will then provide jobseekers with scores for each available position based upon how well their skillset and qualifications align with the job, while also providing resources to potential employees on additional training available for them to become stronger candidates for available positions.

“We are pleased to partner with the Bucks in implementing SkillSmart,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said in the statement. “We are making the process more efficient by taking the Residence Preference Program (RPP) certification process directly to residents and making it even easier to get certified. I’m hopeful Milwaukee residents will come to the job information meetings scheduled and take advantage of this effort.”

In the coming weeks, the Bucks will be partnering with the City of Milwaukee to host a series of town hall meetings throughout the city to introduce prospective jobseekers to the platform and help them begin building their personal employment profiles.

The first event is slated for Thursday, December 15th from 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at Journey House (located at 2110 W. Scott Street).

Dates and locations for additional town hall meetings will be available in the coming weeks.

According to Bucks officials, the team has committed to meeting a 40 percent RPP threshold for trade workers on the construction of the new arena. As part of the SkillSmart roll-out, the Bucks and City of Milwaukee officials will work together to assist local job seekers to become RPP certified and ensure that a large percentage of available positions go to local workers who need the opportunities most. City of Milwaukee officials will be on hand at each town hall meeting to assist attendees interested in receiving RPP certification.

[WC NBA Fan]

Looks like they're ahead of schedule on the arena. We already see the formation of the lower concourse and you can see lots of steel on the west end of the construction site already going up.

For comparisons sake, Barclays Center broke ground in April but you didn't see any steel above ground level until January.

Golden 1 Center in Sacramento broke ground in October yet you didn't get to the point that Milwaukee is at now until June.

[MickeyDavis]

I haven't been down there in daylight since July. Any current construction pics would be great