US-based National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise the Milwaukee Bucks has released the first interior renderings of its proposed new home; a 17,000-seat indoor arena in the city’s downtown.
The images reveal an intimate venue that places the majority of fans in the lower seating tier closer to the on-court action, while members of the team’s fan club have their own exclusive elevated viewing area. Replays will appear on a large electronic display screen hanging from the arena’s roof.
A rendering has also emerged of the spacious glass-walled atrium linking the arena with a surrounding
60,000sq ft (5,600sq m) entertainment district being developed by the franchise.
The design team for the complex is led by sports architects Populous and includes a group of prominent global, national and local architects – including HNTB and Eppstein Uhen.
The vision is for an arena designed for maximum flexibility and year-round use, which will revitalise Milwaukee and tie in with ongoing regeneration projects along the city’s waterfront. The total cost of the project is expected to reach US$1bn (€942m, £682m).
Governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker,
recently approved and signed legislation paving way for US$250m (€221m, £159m) of public money to be invested in the project, which would secure the long-term future of Bucks in Milwaukee.
Speaking earlier this year, Brad Clark, senior designer at Populous, said: “The goal is to design a lasting symbol for all of Wisconsin, pairing the crafted scale of Milwaukee’s architecture and innovative spirit with the natural beauty of the state.”
The new arena is scheduled to open in time for the start of the 2018-19 season.
