Herb Kohl says it's time for a replacement for the BC

[Shanunu]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/bucks/kohl-says-the-time-is-now-for-a-new-arena-sq59ifg-150185605.html

St. Francis - U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, said Friday that the time is now to find a way to finance and build a new arena to replace the Bradley Center.

And for the first time, he said he was willing to make a personal financial commitment toward a new facility, an amount he said would not be insignificant.

"We're no longer talking about in terms of some point in the future," Kohl said at the team's Cousins Center practice facility. "We're talking about plans to get it done."

"The time to start is now."

Kohl, who has owned the team since 1985, said the franchise was working on plans for a new facility to replace the aging Bradley Center, though he said no site is under discussion. "We are actively working on it, and we'll get it in high gear, I hope soon, on trying to accomplish our goal," he said.

Kohl said he could not speculate on how an arena to replace the Bradley Center, opened in 1988, would be financed. But he said it would probably be a combination of public and private funds.

Kohl conceded it would not be easy to come up with a plan, but pledged his support to make it happen.

"There is a need to get going on it and get it done," he said.

Kohl, 77, is one of the wealthiest members of Congress. Among his many charitable efforts, he donated $25 million to build the Kohl Center on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.

Kohl said he would not speculate on the political dimensions of finding financing and getting approval for a new arena. He said he had not talked to any political leaders, but said other communities had been able to find ways to finance and build a new facility.

He specifically cited the experience in Green Bay, where the Green Bay Packers were able to convince community leaders of the need to expand Lambeau Field. The $295 million project, funded in part by a sales tax in Brown County, was completed in 2003.

"I believe we will have a shot at getting it done," he said. "The maximum effort will be put forth not just by the Bucks, but by the business sector and the public sector."

He said NBA commissioner David Stern and other league officials were happy Milwaukee wants to keep the Bucks in town.

"The league is cooperating with us," Kohl said. "They are happy to see that we want to make the effort. They support that. They are wanting to see us get it done. And I think that's good and sufficient. They don't oppose our desire and wish to make the effort to stay in Milwaukee."

Kohl said people understood there was a limited lifespan for the building. And he said people understood the ability of the Bradley Center to generate new revenue for its tenants, including the Bucks, was limited.

"Does the league know that? Yes, they understand that," Kohl said.

"And they probably would say, if they were sitting here, that without a new facility, Milwaukee's chances of remaining a part of the NBA are not robust."

Asked about his ownership of the team, Kohl said that, like other owners of professional sports teams, he is approached "several times a year" by people who might be interested in buying in or taking it over.

"Our franchise is no different than any other in that respect. I've had inquiries from several people over the years who would be interested in buying a part or all of the team. But that's not unusual in the sports business," he said.

Kohl specifically mentioned 2003, when basketball superstar Michael Jordan and he discussed the sale of the Bucks.

The Bradley Center does not receive any public tax support. It was built by the late Jane Bradley Pettit in memory of her father, Harry Lynde Bradley, co-founder and chairman of the Allen-Bradley Company, now called Rockwell Automation. It is believed to be the only major public assembly facility in North America that was built with funds underwritten through the philanthropy of a single family.

Kohl said that, while the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce was working to persuade local corporations to make sponsorship commitments to keep the Bradley Center viable over the next few years, the Bucks would look to sign a short-term lease with the Bradley Center. The Bucks played the lockout-shortened season without a lease.

[GOO]

He should over spend and have a winning team for a year or two, and then ask for public support.  That is the way it works.  I can't see much public and even business support behind this team getting a new stadium. I sure hope they don't increase the seating capacity, if they do build  a new one.

[lurch91]

Wow, I was a student with the Bradley Center opened by sophomore year.  I only go to a game a year now at best.  Is the Bradley Center really that bad to make the Bucks a non-viable franchise?  Is it the size? Poor vending areas (merchandise, food, etc.)? Low number of suites?

[jmayer1]

Wow, I was a student with the Bradley Center opened by sophomore year.  I only go to a game a year now at best.  Is the Bradley Center really that bad to make the Bucks a non-viable franchise?  Is it the size? Poor vending areas (merchandise, food, etc.)? Low number of suites?

I think low number of suites is the biggest thing--lack of revenue streams that other arenas have (although I'm not sure how easily the Bucks would be able to sell a bunch of high $$ areas).

[GGGG]

It isn't just the number of suites, but the Bradley Center was build just a bit to early to offer some of the other premium seating options that other arenas offer.  Hell if Miller Park can pretty much sell out all sorts of seating options, a new arena could do it as well. 

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Herb wants the public to give over more money to him? Maybe he should open his wallet and pay for a stadium himself. Typical socialist.

[Benny B]

The BC is missing one thing: Retail space... restaurants, stores, lounges, etc. that are accessible to the public 365 days a year.

If you look at the new arena/stadium model, there's a huge push towards non-gameday revenue.  Not only does the BC not have it, it is also not configured for it.

[We R Final Four]

Herb Every Major Sports Franchise Owner wants the public to give over more money to him? Maybe he should open his wallet and pay for a stadium himself. Typical socialist.

[MUBurrow]

I've spent some significant time studying stadium financing structures, athletic facility profitability, etc. The bottom line is that 99.9% of the sale pitch to the public sector about return on investment is nonsense. Stadiums never repay the community for their financial investment.

But, if you want the Bucks to stay in Milwaukee, the Bradley has to be replaced. And given other cities that would love to pony up the public $$ for a facility, it will take a substantial public investment to get it done.

[warriorchick]

The BC is missing one thing: Retail space... restaurants, stores, lounges, etc. that are accessible to the public 365 days a year.

If you look at the new arena/stadium model, there's a huge push towards non-gameday revenue.  Not only does the BC not have it, it is also not configured for it.

That part is not going to benefit Herb Kohl unless he gets a piece of the action on the retail side.  Also not going to sell more Bucks tix.

Herb's whole argument sounds like a kid who claims he could get better grades if his folks would just buy him a fully loaded, state-of-the-art Mac Book.

[Otule's Glass Eye]

The Bucks will of course end up drafting either Tyler Zeller or Meyers Leonard neither of whom can shoot. I think the Bucks overperformed this year. Wish they would've tanked their season and tried to get a high pick (I would be happy with 8 or higher). This draft class is stacked, and unless we draft another stud (Zeller and Leonard are not studs) we will decline more. Jennings and Ellid don't seem like the loyal type, both already having rumors about them wanting out of Milwaukee.

[Henry Sugar]

Herb wants the public to give over more money to him? Maybe he should open his wallet and pay for a stadium himself. Typical socialist. billionaire sports franchise owner

fixed

[reinko]

Herb wants the public to give over more money to him? Maybe he should open his wallet and pay for a stadium himself. Typical socialist.

Do you people even know the definition of socialism?  Good christ.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Forcing other people to pay for your livelihood because you can't make up the revenue voluntarily with your product seems like a pretty good start.

[bilsu]

I do not see any reason to criticize senator Kohl on this. He is 77 and has more money than he needs, so he is not doing this to benefit himself. By buying the Bucks in the first place he saved the City of Milwaukee from losing their NBA team. The area was built for hockey and therefore does not provide the best atmosphere for basketball. It is still a nice area, but I would love a new one for MU to play in. The trouble is, we do not know where they will build it. It would be costly to tear down, but it would make sense to me to tear down the old Mecca Center and build a new one there. That would still be in walking distance of MU.

[Hards Alumni]

Forcing other people to pay for your livelihood because you can't make up the revenue voluntarily with your product seems like a pretty good start.

typically, if you don't know, the best thing to do is look it up.

FWIW, Herb doesn't need the Bucks to make money since he has a ton.  He is the richest senator in the US.

It is commonplace for cities to help finance the building of an arena.  Cities that don't (watch what happens in Minnesota for the Vikings) may watch their team move out.  While the city does contribute quite a bit of money for the building, they also stand to gain a lot.  Jobs from building, maintaining, and running the arena can't be overlooked... nor can the opportunity to have great concerts and events take place.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Yes, it is commonplace for a socialist prick like Herb to demand that people fund their arenas. No surprise there. It happens with just about every sports franchise. The people of Milwaukee should turn Herb down. They've already demonstrated that they don't want his product.

[boyonthedock]

If you don't buy a new stadium, someone else will, and then you (the taxpayer) end up paying for a new stadium down the line in the hopes of attracting a new team. Thats what happend to seattle, and pretty much every other sports team that left ever. unless you don't think think milwaukee wants or deserves a pro basketball team, they should just build a new arena and save the team for the time being and don't pay the higher cost of a stater-of-the-arter stadium without kohl kicking in anything in the future.

[MarsupialMadness]

why not ask potowatomi to sponsor/fund the new stadium?

a new stadium i would think would help out the city -- increase the value of everything around it.  i think the city should help fund a new stadium, it happens everywhere.

but this guy should know how to raise money for something.  of course it should be a combination of public and private funds.  that's how these things go

[avid1010]

Yes, it is commonplace for a socialist prick like Herb to demand that people fund their arenas. No surprise there. It happens with just about every sports franchise. The people of Milwaukee should turn Herb down. They've already demonstrated that they don't want his product.

hope you don't have a degree from mu because you have no idea what a socialist even is.  that said, i didn't realize bush also met your standard of a socialist.  politically herb kohl may be many things...a prick isn't one of them.  he's done more for others than you'll ever do in your lifetime. 

[avid1010]

.

[Litehouse]

I still don't see why the Bradley Center couldn't be renovated to fit all those extra revenue providing features they're looking for (retail, restaurants, bars, hotels, etc...).  They could tear down the adjacent parking ramp and build something there, expand to the north, or build out into the space with the glass atriums.  They could also recongifure the lower bowl to provide more club seating options and eliminate the gaps in corners and behind the baskets.  I can't see the need for that many more suites, there are already a lot of empty one the way it is.  They could even convert one of the upper-deck end-zones entirely into suites/club areas if they wanted.

[eroc830]

I still don't see why the Bradley Center couldn't be renovated to fit all those extra revenue providing features they're looking for (retail, restaurants, bars, hotels, etc...).  They could tear down the adjacent parking ramp and build something there, expand to the north, or build out into the space with the glass atriums.  They could also recongifure the lower bowl to provide more club seating options and eliminate the gaps in corners and behind the baskets.  I can't see the need for that many more suites, there are already a lot of empty one the way it is.  They could even convert one of the upper-deck end-zones entirely into suites/club areas if they wanted.

What you just proposed costs more money than if they just built a new arena.

[Cooby Snacks]

What you just proposed costs more money than if they just built a new arena.

Not to mention that it would take more than a year to complete, and there aren't any temporary home options for MU and the Bucks.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

hope you don't have a degree from mu because you have no idea what a socialist even is.  that said, i didn't realize bush also met your standard of a socialist.  politically herb kohl may be many things...a prick isn't one of them.  he's done more for others than you'll ever do in your lifetime. 

Bush also was a socialist. And Herb hasn't done jack sh!t for anyone, just like any other lifetime pol in DC.