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Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:06 pm**

Bradley Center won't sell name
Letter from donor's family prompts board to shelve plan
By DON WALKER
dwalker@journalsentinel.com
Posted: April 22, 2008
In a stunning turn of events, the Bradley Center board of directors on Tuesday abruptly decided to drop plans to sell the naming rights for the facility.

The decision, coming only two months after Bradley Center officials disclosed its plans for the nearly 20-year-old facility, came shortly after Lynde Bradley Uihlein and David V. Uihlein Jr., the daughter and son of the late philanthropist Jane Bradley Pettit, sent a letter to the Journal Sentinel. In that letter, the two spoke out for the first time that the sale of naming rights would degrade their mother's $90 million gift and would have little impact on the arena's financial future.

As news began to circulate about the letter, Bradley Center officials quickly polled board members and moved to halt the search for a naming-rights partner.

Ulice Payne Jr., chairman of the Bradley Center board of directors, said in a statement released Tuesday night that the board had great respect for their comments.

"After discussing their statement with other members of the Bradley Center board, we have decided to end any efforts to seek naming rights for the building as a way to help strengthen the long-term health of the Bradley Center.

"As we have stated previously, it was always our intention to approach this issue in a respectful manner and with the family's involvement. With their statement today, we are ending any effort to seek a naming-rights partner for the Bradley Center."

In their three-paragraph letter, Lynde and David Uihlein said the connection of the Bradley name to the arena was a source of great pride to the descendants of Harry and Peg Bradley and Jane Bradley Pettit. Jane Bradley Pettit donated the $90 million to build the Bradley Center, first opened in October 1988, as a way of honoring her father, Harry Lynde Bradley.

In their letter, Lynde and David Uihlein also issued a call-to-arms of sorts to Milwaukee's public and private leaders to "work together to ensure that Milwaukee remains a major-league city." The two said they thought the city's sports, entertainment and convention resources must be "unified in order to fully derive the benefits of current taxpayer support and efficient operations."

When Bradley Center officials disclosed in February that they had hired a Denver company to secure a naming-rights partner as a means of generating new revenue, family members made no public statements about the decision. Friends close to the family, however, said Lynde was unhappy with the board's decision.

Bradley Center officials said then and on Tuesday that family members were kept informed of the board's deliberations for nearly two years. In addition, family members were told that Jane Bradley Pettit and her father, Harry, would continue to be honored in a meaningful and respectful way.

The letter, however, makes it clear the two thought the move to secure a naming-rights deal was a mistake.

The two said actions taken by the Bradley Center board suggested that the Milwaukee market "cannot sustain the high cost of competing in major professional sports without additional infusions of private capital. Sadly, Jane Pettit's $90 million gift in honor of her father could be degraded if those initiatives result in a renamed facility. Moreover, a sale of naming rights will barely impact the financial challenges facing the Bradley Center's future."

As a result, the two said the time was now to address financial issues involving the Bradley Center and the Wisconsin Center District, which owns and operates the Midwest Airlines Center, the Milwaukee Theatre and the U.S. Cellular Arena.

"We believe there are better solutions to the current funding dilemma," the two wrote. "Now is the time for state and city government, the Bradley Center board, the Wisconsin Center District and the Milwaukee Bucks to work together to ensure that Milwaukee remains a major-league city. In order to achieve that goal, we believe that Milwaukee's sports, entertainment and convention resources must be unified in order to fully derive the benefits of current taxpayer support and efficient operations. For our part, the Bradley family will continue our longstanding and diverse philanthropic efforts in and around Milwaukee."

Fran Croak, a Milwaukee lawyer who has long represented the family, said Lynde and David Uihlein would not comment further.

Bradley Center officials had hoped that a naming-rights partner would bring in $2 million or more a year over several years to augment a shrinking revenue pot. As a means of generating new revenue, the board is looking for a development partner on land around the arena, and has imposed a $1 ticket surcharge on Bradley Center events.

The arena is one of only six NBA facilities without a corporate name.

Bradley Center officials have said the arena's fiscal condition is stable, but that the arena's ability to generate new revenue is limited.

The Bucks are the most visible and valued tenant in the building. Besides the Bucks, the Milwaukee Admirals and the Marquette University men's basketball team play their home games at the Bradley Center.

Also, the Bradley Center hosts concerts and corporate events and has hopes of having an Arena Football League 2 team play there in 2009.

Lynde and David Uihlein do not detail what can be done to address ongoing financial issues involving the downtown venues. But it appears they are referring to a now-dead plan to merge the operations of the Wisconsin Center District, which relies on four different taxes, with the Bradley Center, which does not have taxing authority.

That idea, talked about for years, died in mid-2005.

Frank Gimbel, chairman of the Wisconsin Center District board of directors, said Tuesday that he was still willing to talk about a merger with the Bradley Center.

"From my point of view, I have never been opposed to continuing to have conversations about this," Gimbel said. "My door is always open. That's not to say it's an easy process. . . . But I don't think the notion of merging is something that should be buried for all time."

Neither Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett nor County Executive Scott Walker was available for comment. Both are on a trade mission to the Czech Republic.

Another avenue is a plan Gov. Jim Doyle put on the table in early 2007 in which the City of Milwaukee would be given legislative approval to create a "premier resort area" in an area of downtown that includes the sports and convention facilities.

Such a designation would permit the city to raise revenue from a 0.5% sales tax on tourism-related items. In turn, the revenue would support new infrastructure in the area.

That idea did not gain any traction among city officials.

Doyle, who is on a trade mission to Ireland, was unavailable for comment.

From the April 23, 2008 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=742567

Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:24 pm**

There are a few ways to increase revenue at the Bradley Center:

1- Get winning franchises to play there.
2- Change the layout of the seating areas, which will require a lot of money for the internal construction. If you increase the amount of lower bowl seats, you can charge more.
3- Build out into the lots in front of the center and put a full sports bar/club/pub that will attract people there even when nothing else is going on at the Bradley Center. You could put sweet memorabilia/sports museum there, and have 50 drafts on tap. This will also require money.
4- Use that empty lot to the North of the bradley center and create a parking lot for tailgating for Bucks, Admirals, and Golden Eagles games. This could increase attendance but it is a long shot, and other more profitable avenues may be there, such as indoor waterpark, shopping center, restaurants, House of Blues, etc.

There are many ideas, but the bureaucrats don't want to take chances and just sit there and twiddle their thumbs. Ask Potawatomi to pay for it and let them put some casino games there.

Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:22 pm**

Good. I don't want them sinking any more money into the BC, it's a waste.

Also, no one wants to tailgate in the winter before a Bucks or Admirals game. That won't happen.

Developing the parking lot north of the BC is something that is being talked about but that is a band aid approach. Putting up a couple of restaurants or clubs doesn't mean anything if the BC itself is still there.

Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:31 pm**

What MD said.

Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:38 pm**

I have the list of names that were considered. Don't ask how I got it.

Wisconsin Lottery Center

The REunited Center

Kotex Court

Run _MC Arena

People's Republic of China Center (this almost happened)

Hall of Just Us Arena

Starbucks

Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:43 pm**

Yeah people wouldn't tailgate at any of those games, and it's not to trash your idea (let's face it you right there gave more thought than any civic leader in Milwaukee) but it would take years to get people thinking that way.

The only real solution is to not sink anymore money into that building because you will not get what you need out of it, thus your return would be garbage. We need a new arena and we need to make it part of a larger entertainment complex in order to make a profit and keep the Bucks viable in Milwaukee.

And we need a way of doing this that DOESN'T involve a tax increase because I doubt even a few years of winning will get people to vote YES. Hell, just look at how the Lambeau Field tax increase barely passed and we're talking the PACKERS!

Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:13 pm**

Exactly. Selling the naming rights, or getting revenue some other way just means a few new coats of paint and other cosmetic changes. And then all the "leaders" will think everything is good. Meanwhile the BC would remain what it has always been... a hockey building.

Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:18 pm**

Run _MC Arena

Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:55 pm**

People tailgate for Packers games. Its in the culture to tailgate in Milwaukee and Wisconsin. This all depends on having a winning franchise in the building. If the Bucks start to win and draw sold out crowds, I know I would be in that parking lot around a fire pit.

These are ideas that would happen before we get a new arena cause there is no way we are getting the public to pay for a new arena. If they can undergo construction for a new seat arrangement, everyone here would be fine with that. A new seating arrangement isn't cosmetic either. It would serve a purpose to provide better sight lines and more lower bowl space available.

Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:27 pm**

There have been studies done regarding the seating area and trying to renovate it is not cost effective. Since one of the biggest problems is that the lower bowl is way too small, they would have to rip out all of the suites to increase the size of the lower bowl. Plus change the angle of thousands of seats that are now set up for hockey.

Yes people do tailgate for Packer games. But there are only 8 games a year and only 2-3 when it's cold out. And mostly day games. It's a whole different mind set. Could the mind set be changed for basketball fans? Maybe. But on a cold January evening I think most would rather be inside eating and drinking.

Posted: **Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:53 pm**

Don't get me wrong I think it's a fabulous idea for tailgating Bucks games. I just don't happen to think it's feasible, nor would most people attending games in the dead of winter thinks so either.

It just seems like the money we put into restructuring the seats would probably get us half way to a new arena, wouldn't it? My opinion is the Bradley Center is no longer viable and a plan needs to happen in the next 1-2 years or we will lose the team.

On a side note, I saw a commercial for this History of Video Gaming show and they had Herb Kohl threatening the gaming industry. Yet again meddling where he doesn't need to meddle, lol...Maybe he should devote his time to securing us a new arena??? If he relies on the folks running things downtown it'll never happen!

Posted: **Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:59 am**

actually the Las Vegas Starbucks sounds pretty good to me. I'm sure people in vegas have already thought about it becoming a reality, and have Stern's blessing. I have to wonder what Stern would do if the Bucks current owner wasn't a US Senator? Would he push for sale that included a relocation?

Posted: **Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:52 am**

I've gotta give props to the local right wing radio talk show hosts for bringing this topic up from day one and being pretty spot on about it. Although it wouldn't be wrong to say that they sometimes don't let facts get in the way of a good conversation, credit ought to be given for bringing up the topic and being right about it long before the JS was. The best point that was made was the fact that tons of money has been sunk into a convention center that isn't used or going to be used as well as the Milwaukee Theater that also doesn't do anything for the community while the BC, which was free, donated, not in debt to anyone from day one - and is actually used year round, has suffered.

Posted: **Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:56 am**

The Milwaukee Theater was a huge mistake. But no one even knew it was being renovated. It used with TAX dollars that is generated from the Wisconsin Center District (which also runs the convention center). The Milwaukee Theater (formerly the Milwaukee Auditorium) should have been torn down. Instead millions were spent redoing it and it's barely used.

Meanwhile both the mayor and the county exec are on a trade mission to the Czech Republic and the governor is on a trade mission in Ireland. :roll:

Posted: **Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:02 pm**

MD did you read the new article in the J/S about merging the B.C. with the Wisconsin Center District??? What a joke! They estimate the B.C. could earn an additional 1-3 million a year that way, but isn't that far short of what the Bucks need? Plus, it's not like all of that would go straight to the Bucks either. They'd of course pour more money into that crappy hockey complex...

I swear they're going to waste 5 years coming up with a plan to save the Bucks from leaving...Except, in the 4th year the Bucks will already be gone because they continue to include the Bradley Center!!!!

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OT: Bradley Center won't sell name

OT: Bradley Center won't sell name