Land largely under the control of the BMO Harris Bradley Center and located just north of the current arena is considered one of the leading sites for construction of a new arena. Sources have also identified other downtown locations, including some closer to Wisconsin Ave. Credit: Mark Hoffman

SHARE Click to enlarge Don Walker is on a fellowship established through Marquette University Law School's Sheldon B. Lubar Fund for Public Policy Research. The fellowship is aimed at providing support for journalism projects on issues of civic importance. All the work is done under the direction of Journal Sentinel editors. More coverage

By of the

With a self-imposed year-end deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks and others involved in the search for a proposed new downtown arena are zeroing in on a few specific locations.

The eventual decision holds the potential for generating new development, economic revitalization and jobs. Should it be built near the BMO Harris Bradley Center, where Milwaukee arenas have long been clustered? Or closer to Wisconsin Ave., which many say is in need of a makeover and an economic magnet?

Once a site is agreed upon, the decision represents a major step forward for the project. It is expected a financing plan will follow with more details on what involvement the state, city and county may be asked to shoulder.

Robert Greenstreet, dean of the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has talked to some of those involved in the search for a site and says there are pluses and minuses at all sites.

"It's hard to say what is the optimal site," Greenstreet said. "You want to make sure the arena maximizes the potential for development around it. You don't get many chances to get this right."

Across the country, arenas and stadiums are increasingly married with development in the form of hotels, retail stores and residential property, largely funded with a mix of private and public dollars. The days of building a stadium or multipurpose arena surrounded by a sea of parking lots are largely over.

"You try to create an environment that attracts and retains human capital," said Mark Rosentraub, a University of Michigan sports management professor who has consulted on a major project in Detroit, which includes a new Detroit Red Wings arena and five new neighborhoods.

"Nothing is as powerful a tool for development than sports. Sports attracts a lot of people. But how do you use it as an anchor, and design new neighborhoods that fit the new urbanism?"

The city's Department of City Development, Milwaukee Bucks owners Wes Edens and Marc Lasry, as well as key members of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce are all doing their due diligence and hope to have a site dialed in by the end of the year. Once one or more sites are selected, engineering work will need to be done.

"We want to get a site that gives us the biggest bang for the buck downtown," said Ted Kellner, a member of MMAC's arena working group and a new Bucks investor. "This is something that Wes is really driving."

"We believe a multipurpose facility in the heart of downtown will be a tremendous catalyst for economic growth and revitalization in the surrounding and regional areas," Peter Feigin, the Bucks' new president, said in an email. "We're investigating several viable sites in downtown Milwaukee and will work closely with the city and community to determine the best site possible."

In addition to the site itself, what isn't known is how it will be financed. Already, county boards in Ozaukee, Waukesha and Racine counties, as well as Common Ground, a community group, have lined up in opposition to using public tax dollars for the arena.

Lasry and Edens, now joined by Jamie Dinan, another New York billionaire, and 14 local investors say some measure of public tax support will be needed.

Ald. Willie Wade, who maintains close ties to the Milwaukee Bucks, said he was told there are five locations that could serve as the new home of the Bucks, possible tenants Marquette University and the Milwaukee Admirals, and concerts and events.

Site in the running

Other sources essentially identified the same sites, but added a new site at N. 2nd and W. Michigan streets. The sites, which Wade said he was not ranking in terms of suitability, are:

■ Land largely under the control of the BMO Harris Bradley Center and located just north of the existing arena.

■ The Park East corridor, located farther north of the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

A source knowledgeable about the site-selection process said the Park East corridor and the land north of the BMO Harris Bradley Center were "off the table" as potential sites.

The Park East land is in a tax-incremental financing district. An arena would not generate property taxes and would be a bad fit for the site.

"There is no sexiness north of the Bradley Center," the source said.

■ A city-owned parking lot at N. 4th St. and W. Wisconsin Ave. The site, while too small for an arena, would have to be expanded. Last week, an unknown group successfully bid $16.5 million for the Shops of Grand Avenue property, located east of the parking lot. The group's intentions for the property are not known.

Standing between the Shops of Grand Avenue and the parking lot is the Boston Store building, which is owned by Wispark LLC, Wisconsin Energy Corp.'s development subsidiary.

Gale Klappa, chairman and CEO of Wisconsin Energy Corp., recently became an investor in the Bucks.

"The investors in the Bucks are well aware of the assets of this site," said Mike Mervis, a spokesman for Zilber Ltd. Zilber owns a parking ramp adjacent to the city-owned parking lot.

Mayor Tom Barrett has said he hopes to find an arena site as close to Wisconsin Ave. as possible, though he said last week that no sites downtown have been taken off the table.

■ The buildings and land belonging to Journal Communications, publisher of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, on W. State St. between Old World Third St. and N. 4th St., as well as the land now occupied by the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena across the street.

■ Land now occupied by the UWM Arena and the Milwaukee Theatre between N. 4th and N. 6th streets, W. State St., and W. Kilbourn Ave.

The source said the Journal Communications block and the land now occupied by the UWM Arena is a strong site, but others are not enamored with demolishing both the UWM Arena and the Milwaukee Theatre to the west.

The Journal Communications block by itself would not be large enough for an NBA-sized arena. The buildings on that block, plus the parking lot, total 483,010 square feet, company officials said.

Steven J. Smith, chairman and CEO of Journal Communications, did not respond to a request for comment.

Prominent Milwaukee architect David Uihlein has suggested that W. Kilbourn Ave., between N. 4th and N. 6th streets, which is where is the UWM Arena and Milwaukee Theatre are located, would be an ideal arena site. Uihlein also suggested extending the new arena complex over W. State St., which means demolishing the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Uihlein is the son of Jane Bradley Pettit, who donated the money that led to the construction of the Bradley Center.

Franklyn Gimbel, chairman of the Wisconsin Center District board, which owns and operates the UWM Arena and Theatre, said he had not spoken to any Bucks representative about the two buildings. Gimbel remains opposed to demolishing either building. UWM, which just signed a 10-year agreement to use the arena, is also opposed.

Combining sites

A second source familiar with the process said those evaluating sites are considering the combination of the Journal Communications block and the UWM Arena and the site that includes the UWM Arena and the Milwaukee Theatre as one site.

Timothy Sheehy, MMAC's president, said he wasn't so sure a site that stretches to the theater is a viable option.

One additional site that has not generated much attention is at N. 2nd and W. Michigan streets. But multiple sources say the property is under consideration as a possible arena site.

Much of that land is owned by Clark Street Development, a Chicago firm. The firm's website says the property "is strategically situated as a gateway to Downtown Milwaukee, adjacent to The Shops at Grand Avenue and the new on and off-ramps for the Marquette Interchange."

Andy Stein, a Clark Street Development spokesman, said, "I don't have any comment at this time."

Ivory Retail Office Operating Co. LLC owns a parking ramp on a portion of the block, often referred to as the old Gimbels parking ramp. A company spokesman said the Bucks had not contacted the company.

Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel is on a fellowship established through Marquette University Law School's Sheldon B. Lubar Fund for Public Policy Research. The fellowship is aimed at providing support for journalism projects on issues of civic importance. All the work is done under the direction of Journal Sentinel editors.