Build new arena near Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, legislator suggests
Add two sites in Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley near the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino to the list of prospective locations for a new arena in Milwaukee.
The advantages of the sites include that they are near likely new-arena tenant Marquette University and could be developed without new taxes, says state Rep. Josh Zepnick, a Democrat who represents a section of Milwaukee’s south side. He says the city of Milwaukee could finance the project by creating a new tax incremental financing district.
“Not one penny of this would come from a sales tax increase,” Zepnick said in a recent letter to Milwaukee Bucks owners Marc Lasry and Wes Edens and Bradley Center Sports and Entertainment Corp. board chairman Marc Marotta.
Zepnick is the first politician to propose a site beyond the immediate boundaries of downtown Milwaukee. Most of the city’s political and business leaders support sites closer to the existing BMO Harris Bradley Center or possibly near the Summerfest grounds.
Lasry and Edens have yet to say where they prefer to build a new arena for the Bucks, Marquette, the Milwaukee Admirals, concerts and other events but have said they want a plan ready by May 2015. Milwaukee arena backers want the project to serve as a catalyst for surrounding private development.
The two sites Zepnick proposes are:
“Potential financial investments could come from a seat at the table for Potawatomi, Marquette, the city of Milwaukee, and Milwaukee County and of course state dollars could be positioned for modest investments,” Zepnick’s letter says.
Reported by: Milwaukee Business Journal
The advantages of the sites include that they are near likely new-arena tenant Marquette University and could be developed without new taxes, says state Rep. Josh Zepnick, a Democrat who represents a section of Milwaukee’s south side. He says the city of Milwaukee could finance the project by creating a new tax incremental financing district.
“Not one penny of this would come from a sales tax increase,” Zepnick said in a recent letter to Milwaukee Bucks owners Marc Lasry and Wes Edens and Bradley Center Sports and Entertainment Corp. board chairman Marc Marotta.
Zepnick is the first politician to propose a site beyond the immediate boundaries of downtown Milwaukee. Most of the city’s political and business leaders support sites closer to the existing BMO Harris Bradley Center or possibly near the Summerfest grounds.
Lasry and Edens have yet to say where they prefer to build a new arena for the Bucks, Marquette, the Milwaukee Admirals, concerts and other events but have said they want a plan ready by May 2015. Milwaukee arena backers want the project to serve as a catalyst for surrounding private development.
The two sites Zepnick proposes are:
- Northeast of the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino off 13th Street and West Canal Street. The property is owned by the city of Milwaukee, which uses it for public works department trucks and traffic signals, Zepnick says.
- A parcel owned by Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful, a nonprofit group with its headquarters at 1301 W. Mount Vernon Ave.
“Potential financial investments could come from a seat at the table for Potawatomi, Marquette, the city of Milwaukee, and Milwaukee County and of course state dollars could be positioned for modest investments,” Zepnick’s letter says.
Reported by: Milwaukee Business Journal
