FISERV FORUM THREAD - Open House/Block Party 8/26

[HaroldinGMinor]

I like tacos.

[Lil Otis]

Nothing screams Wisconsin sports like Hawaiian Poke fish! jk Looks pretty cool. With 3 Drink Wisconsibly locations, there'll be plenty of craft beer on hand I'm sure.

Yeah and that's good. I'll admit to being a beer snob.

Give me a delicious NE IPA and I'm a happy man.

[MickeyDavis]

The new world-class Milwaukee Bucks arena will redefine the sports and entertainment culinary experience with MKEat, the venue’s dynamic, locally-focused food and beverage program. MKEat is a culinary vision that proudly reflects Milwaukee’s food culture, with a focus on local products, differentiated service and unique culinary talent throughout the arena.

MKEat will include local food and beverage partners from Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin, including several quintessential Milwaukee brands that will offer fresh takes on their signature dishes at the Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center (WESC). The venue will open Aug. 26.

“Milwaukee has an incredible legacy and emerging culinary scene that will be showcased by MKEat for all of our guests,” said Milwaukee Bucks President Peter Feigin. “We are excited to combine the city’s signature tastes and flavors with renowned global brands that are based in Wisconsin to redefine the sports and entertainment culinary experience.”

Led by the venue’s senior executive chef, Kenneth Hardiman, and best-in-class food and beverage provider Levy, MKEat will feature popular and diverse local culinary establishments, including Klement’s Sausage, Sobelman’s, The Laughing Taco, Gold Rush Chicken, Iron Grate BBQ, FreshFin Poké, Cedar Crest Ice Cream, Colectivo Coffee and Milwaukee Pretzel Company. Unique to the arena will be Canal Street Pizza, a new fresh pizza concept that was developed in conjunction with the Fallucca family, the original pizza family of Milwaukee and the founders of Palermo’s Pizza. Additionally, core menu items throughout the arena will include Klement’s Sausage and Wisconsin-based Sargento Cheese.

MKEat will have some of the best selections of Wisconsin-brewed beer, reflecting Milwaukee’s rich brewing history. Working with Bucks longtime partner and Miller Brewing Company, the arena’s beverage program is built upon Miller’s locally brewed and globally-acclaimed beers. Complementing Miller’s product offering, local lifestyle brand Drink Wisconsinbly will entitle and curate three craft beer bars, presenting a rotating list of exclusive Wisconsin micro-beers.

The arena will also be home to the Southside Market, which was designed as a tribute to the popular Milwaukee Public Market. The Southside Market will serve a variety of food and beverage options that will not be found anywhere else in the arena, providing a differentiated experience for guests on the upper level.

During the process for developing the food and beverage program, Levy and the Bucks extensively sampled restaurants and vendors to bring the best and most diverse offerings, which will include gluten-free and kosher items. The soon-to-be announced menu will consist of made-to-order dishes ensuring the freshest quality for an exceptional experience.

“MKEat will fulfill Milwaukee’s global palate, while maintaining our proud Wisconsin roots,” Chef Hardiman said. “In addition to offering signature Milwaukee cuisine, we will source 95 percent of our food and plateware from within the state. The themes and quality of our culinary offerings will be a memorable part of what guests experience at the new arena.”

In addition to respected local establishments, guests of the WESC can expect to find popular national brands.

A Chick-fil-A stand will bring the popular restaurant to downtown Milwaukee for the first time, and Great Lakes Coca-Cola Bottling will serve as the official soft drink, bottled water and iced tea partner of the WESC.

The arena will carry an extensive collection of premier beverage providers, including Jack Daniel’s, Casamigos, a tequila company co-founded by George Clooney, RAMONA, an organic ruby grapefruit wine spritz, Absolut Vodka and Jameson Irish Whiskey.

The new arena production capacity is a major step forward, with 17 free-standing kitchens; stainless steel, state-of-the-art equipment; dedicated pizza ovens; and a wood-fired smoker capable of handling up to 3,000 pounds of meat. Additionally, the venue’s equipment runs on natural gas, which makes it easier to keep grills and fryer oil consistently hot, in turn, serving more guests faster.

[FrieAaron]

That sounds like a huge step up.

[crkone]

Introducing Good City Commons, our new 350-seat event space coming to the Entertainment Block early next year! Good City Commons will be a go-to urban venue for large group celebrations over fresh local beer and food. See profile link for more info on hosting an event at Good City, including 2019 inquiries/bookings for Good City Commons.

[MickeyDavis]

Punch Bowl Social will bring bowling, shuffleboard, Skee-Ball along with karaoke and food and drinks to a key building in the Milwaukee Bucks entertainment block.

The lease to the Denver-based company of the 24,000-square-foot building represents an important milestone for the Bucks' development arm, responsible for the complex surrounding the team's new $524 million arena.

The Bucks and Punch Bowl believe the business will attract customers year-round, not just on game or event days.

A large, lively business focused on millennials, Punch Bowl Social can accommodate about 1,000 customers.

"We think this is going to re-center in a lot of ways the way people in Milwaukee go out and where they go," Punch Bowl founder and CEO Robert Thompson said in an interview.

Punch Bowl will open in early 2019, and it will be the first location in Wisconsin for the rapidly growing chain.

Punch Bowl describes itself as a "lifestyle brand" and is part of the growing "eatertainment" segment of the restaurant/bar business. It was named a 2018 Most Innovative Company by Fast Company magazine in the "gaming" category.

"They attract all ages and everyone has a high-quality experience," said Bucks President Peter Feigin.

Punch Bowl opened in Sacramento, Calif., near the new arena recently built for that city's NBA team.

"We've seen it done in Sacramento, we've seen it done in Chicago," Feigin said of the chain's success. "They've proved their concept and we love it."

In Milwaukee, Punch Bowl will occupy two levels and a large outdoor deck in a building on the south end of the complex just east of the new arena. The building is under construction.

"This is the largest physical space and the largest destination that we have" in the entertainment block, Feigin said.

There will be space remaining in the building for two small ground level tenants facing the beer garden connecting North Old World 3rd Street and the arena complex.

The Bucks recently announced that Good City Brewing Co. will lease half of another entertainment block building facing East Juneau Avenue.

Punch Bowl opened its first location in Denver in 2012 and is now in 14 cities.

The privately held company last year received an investment from L Catterton, the world's largest consumer-focused private equity firm. The amount of the investment wasn't made public, but it will allow the chain to double in size in the near future, Thompson said.

For several months, the company's website has listed Milwaukee as among its upcoming markets but provided no details about the specific location.

Thompson said he scouted Milwaukee several years ago and returned to the idea as the Bucks plans for the arena complex came together.

"It's a vibrant city," Thompson said. "It's a place where people like to have a good time. And Milwaukee is a community that likes to eat well."

Punch Bowl signed a 25-year lease with the Bucks, Thompson said.

The company is in the "experience business" and takes market share away from traditional "fast casual" restaurants, Thompson said.
"Everyone likes to bowl, and, after enough drinks, everybody likes to go to a private karaoke room."

The business includes a restaurant, multiple bars and the "cage" where customers pay for hourly activities like bowling.

Punch Bowl can accommodate various types of customers, Thompson said. Some come for a drink or a meal and leave; others stay for hours playing games.

"We can modulate all of these experiences together under one roof," Thompson said.

"Our core customers are millennials, but we cast a very wide net," he said. "The millennials are defining what's relevant and interesting today to the generations above and below them."

Group outings and parties are a critical part of the business.

"Punch Bowl doesn't work without that element," Thompson said. "We do mostly corporate events but we also do a lot of wedding receptions. It's a really important part of our business."

Punch Bowl runs Saturday and Sunday brunches, and, during the day appeals to families for events such as kids birthday parties.
"It's loud — you can have the most unruly family in the world and they'll blend right in," Thompson said.

[UWNick]

I've been to the Punch Bowl Social down in Chicago and it was actually really cool. The food was good and there's tons of stuff to do. I think the statement in the article about going for just food or hanging out for an extended period of time is pretty accurate. My wife and I were pretty excited to hear there will be one in Milwaukee.

[CountMe3Outs]

Among the numerous concession offerings, a glaring omission remains for long-suffering Bucks fans...

[MadBlueEdwards]

If you click on WESC on Google Maps, this is one of the images linked to it.

[MadBlueEdwards]

I zoomed in pretty far and my first glance opinion is that the triangles are dumb.

[MadBlueEdwards]

Same person took this one too. Different lighting here.

[chuckleslove]

My wife is excited about the German style Christmas market coming to the plaza.

http://info.milwaukeebucks.com/I0S0jEI0wLNaxH0Z0L0IT00

Christkindlmarket To Bring Holiday Festival To Wisconsin Entertainment And Sports Center Plaza From Nov. 17-Dec. 31
Posted: Jul 16, 2018
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The Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center plaza will host the Christkindlmarket, an authentic German holiday festival, from Nov. 17-Dec. 31. Brought to Milwaukee by German American Events, LLC, Christkindlmarket will offer the delight of a German festival in the heart of one of America’s most German cities while celebrating the holiday season with festive shopping, delicious European and German delicacies, hot spiced wine, fine beer, hand-crafted ornaments, entertainment, family fun and more.

The Christkindlmarket Milwaukee will transform the plaza into a picturesque holiday village featuring around 30 vendors in traditional candy cane striped wooden huts. Rooted in German tradition, the Christkindlmarket is a place for celebration and holiday cheer. Visitors will be delighted by live entertainment and activities throughout the event, and will make holiday memories to last a lifetime.

The hours for Christkindlmarket Milwaukee are as follows:

Sunday-Thursday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Thanksgiving (Nov. 23), Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), and New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31): 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Christmas Day (Dec. 25): Closed
Admission to the Christkindlmarket Milwaukee is free. For more information on Christkindlmarket Milwaukee, visitwww.christkindlmarket.com/Milwaukee. Detailed information about vendors, events and activities will be added as they are finalized.

[UWNick]

Ugh... look top left corner. Those aren't triangles, they are the ugly "M" logo.

[MickeyDavis]

I know a lot of you care about what the court looks like and that's cool. Personally I couldn't care less (shrug). Same with jerseys.

[MadBlueEdwards]

Ugh... look top left corner. Those aren't triangles, they are the ugly "M" logo.

Nice catch. That's even worse.

[Prez]

Don’t really care about the triangles or whatever but I’m glad they’re going with just the deer head at center, no circle or lettering or anything. Wish they would do that for the FTD court as well.

[trwi7]

My first thought is those triangles are to act like a forest. I don't think those are the M logo. They're just randomly placed shapes to represent trees and bushes and stuff.

[jmart762]

I like it

Sent from my SM-G930R4 using RealGM mobile app

[MadBlueEdwards]

I know a lot of you care about what the court looks like and that's cool. Personally I couldn't care less (shrug). Same with jerseys.

There's no way you weren't embarrassed in like 2007 when we had the garbage bags.

[humanrefutation]

I'll just have to wait to see it all together. I like the idea of a forest theme, but if you're gonna do it, it better look right and not cartoonish. The darker seats will help with that, IMO.