Milwaukee Bucks

Mentors can help at-risk children stay in school, go to college and find a job. Even though there are many mentorship programs in Milwaukee, the efforts are piecemeal. But there’s a new organization in town that’s meant to bring together and bolster the city's mentorship programs.

 Originally published Oct. 29, 2018

The expectations for the Milwaukee Bucks are high this year. The team has generally lived up to them, getting off to a fast start in their new arena, the Fiserv Forum. Longtime fans know that things don’t always work out, but newer fans might not be as familiar with some of the up-and-down half-century history of the basketball team that calls Milwaukee home.

Around 4,000 construction workers put in nearly 2 million work hours to build the Milwaukee Bucks' new $524 million arena. But now that the construction is done, the focus turns to more long-term jobs.

Fiserv Forum opened last Sunday to great fanfare as tens of thousands of people stopped by the grand opening for a look inside.

Bucks leadership and local politicians, including Gov. Scott Walker and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, assembled in front of the building to offer some remarks and cut the ribbon to mark the arena’s official opening.

The Milwaukee Bucks open their NBA season this evening in Boston, against the Celtics.  They’ll play their first game at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.  It’ll be the last opening night at the arena the team has called home since 1988.

In a feature in the October issue of Milwaukee Magazine, writer Zach Brooke explores the new arena that is rising downtown.

The professional basketball season is still weeks off, but one of the most visible building projects in Milwaukee has people thinking about basketball year-round.

The new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks is due to open in time for the 2018-2019 season. But people involved in the project say that the progress goes beyond finding a place for pro athletes to play basketball.

The skyline in Milwaukee is changing, and with that comes hundreds of jobs. Though many of those positions don't require a college degree, they do require specific sets of skills. So, a local nonprofit has teamed up with construction firms to create programs to train city residents for that work.

For the new Milwaukee Bucks area, Carrie Enders of the contractor Wall-tech says her company had to get creative. “We did not have any qualified workers and we had this requirement with the City of Milwaukee."

A chain link fence has gone up in downtown Milwaukee, and construction vehicles have begun crisscrossing the site of the new Bucks arena. Project proponents say it will ensure the team's success and be a source of pride for the community. But first, the neighborhood must live through disruptions the project will cause over the next two years.

Milwaukee counts historic buildings, such as City Hall and the Pabst Theater, among its treasures. Both are more than 100 years old. Yet when it comes to certain venues less than one-third that age, the community is demolishing them, or giving them major facelifts.

The downtown Milwaukee skyline is dotted with construction cranes. From Northwestern Mutual’s new complex at the eastern end of Wisconsin Avenue to the new Bucks arena getting ready to break ground, the city is buzzing with building activity. But how well do these projects enhance the city in which they’re built?

The structural problems at the Mitchell Park Domes have been a reminder for many that Milwaukee County has responsibility for many cultural institutions in the area. Places such as the Milwaukee Public Museum, the zoo and the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, where you might go to see the symphony, ballet or a touring Broadway show.

While they're having a mixed season on the court, the Milwaukee Bucks made news this week with the release of a design for the team's new downtown arena, and the announcement that Mortenson has been chosen as the company that will manage the arena's construction.

Even though we don’t have the Packers to watch any more this season, there’s been a lot to take in – and discuss – in recent days regarding sports in Wisconsin.

Veteran catcher, Jonathan Lucroy, made waves this week when he suggested that a trade could be the best thing for him and the Brewers. Some believe Lucroy is asking for a trade, while others felt the conceit could decrease his value as a player.

The Green Bay Packers return home this weekend for a game against the Detroit Lions.  The game couldn’t come at a better time for the Packers who just lost two road games in a row, and in convincing fashion.

There’s more than a little angst in Packer Nation at the moment, and sports contributor Howie Magner thinks it may be a bit of an over-reaction from fans.

"Suddenly, people are wondering if they are going to make the playoffs, or if they need to fire everybody.  Or whether they should trade Aaron Rodgers, which is all kind of silly," he says.

Pro football fans in Wisconsin might be going through withdrawal this weekend.  The Green Bay Packers have this week off and don’t return to action until next Sunday night against Denver.

That means they’re assured of spending another week as one of the NFL’s undefeated teams. Sports contributor Howie Magner says one key reason the Packers remain undefeated is because the defense is better than most expected.

"The offense has been playing well enough to win games and the defense has really been securing those games," he says.