UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena

"MECCA" redirects here. For the city in Saudi Arabia, see Mecca. For other uses, see Mecca (disambiguation).
UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena
View from southeast in 2018
Map
Milwaukee is located in the United States
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
Location in the United States
Milwaukee is located in Wisconsin
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
Location in Wisconsin
Former namesMilwaukee Arena (1950–1974)
MECCA (The Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center and Arena) (1974–1995)
Wisconsin Center Arena (1995–2000)
U.S. Cellular Arena (2000–2014)
Address400 W Kilbourn Avenue
LocationMilwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Coordinates43°2′32″N 87°55′1″W / 43.04222°N 87.91694°W / 43.04222; -87.91694
Public transitBus transport MCTS
OwnerWisconsin Center District
Capacity12,700 (maximum)
10,783 (basketball)
9,500 (indoor soccer)
9,652 (ice hockey)
8,910 (permanent seats)
ScoreboardAmerican Sign & Indicator (1968-1998)
Construction
Broke groundNovember 3, 1948[1]
OpenedApril 9, 1950[4]
Renovated1998, 2014, 2016
Construction costUS$7.6 million
($96.4 million in 2023 dollars[2])
ArchitectEschweiler & Eschweiler
General contractorHunzinger Construction Co.[3]
Tenants
Milwaukee Hawks (NBA) (1951–1955)
Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) (1968–1988)
Marquette Warriors (NCAA) (1974–1988)
Milwaukee Admirals (USHL/IHL/AHL) (1973–1988, 2016–present)
Milwaukee Does (WBL) (1978–1980)
Milwaukee Panthers (NCAA) (1992–1998, 2003–2012, 2013–present)
Milwaukee Wave (MASL) (2003–present)
Brewcity Bruisers (WFTDA) (2005–2021)
Milwaukee Bonecrushers (CIFL) (2008–2009)
Green Bay Chill (LFL) (2014)
Website
uwmilwaukeepantherarena.com

The UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena (originally the Milwaukee Arena and formerly MECCA Arena and U.S. Cellular Arena) is an indoor arena located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The arena, which seats as many as 12,700 people and offers 41,700 square feet (3,874 m2) of floor space, is part of a larger downtown campus, that includes the Milwaukee Theatre and Wisconsin Center.

It currently serves as the home to the American Hockey League's Milwaukee Admirals, NCAA Division I Milwaukee Panthers men's basketball team, and Major Arena Soccer League's Milwaukee Wave. It was formerly home to the Milwaukee Hawks (1951–55) and Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA (1968–1988), and hosted the 1977 NBA All-Star Game. The venue was also home to Marquette University's men's basketball team from 1974 to 1988.

History

[edit]

The arena opened in 1950 and was one of the first to accommodate the needs of broadcast television. It was folded into MECCA (The Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center and Arena) when the complex opened in 1974. It is also known for its former, uniquely painted basketball court by Robert Indiana in 1978, with large orange 'M's taking up both half-courts representing Milwaukee.[5] The Indiana floor was purchased by a fan in the early 2010s and is currently in storage at a storage facility in Milwaukee.[6]

In 1994, the Wisconsin Center District (WCD), a state organization, was created in order to fund the Midwest Express Center, and, in 1995 the MECCA complex was folded into this, including the Arena

The WCD added the Wisconsin Athletic Walk of Fame alongside the U.S. Cellular Arena in 2001. At the end of this public promenade is a Wisconsin Historical Marker noting the location where Christopher Sholes invented the first practical typewriter, featuring the QWERTY keyboard layout.

In 2008 and 2009, it was home to the Milwaukee Bonecrushers of the Continental Indoor Football League.[7]

On August 7, 2010, the arena hosted an Arena Football League playoff game between the Milwaukee Iron and the Chicago Rush. The Iron played their 2010 regular season home games at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, but the ongoing installation of the new center court scoreboard in that venue forced the home playoff games to be played at the U.S. Cellular Arena, where the Iron would go on to win.

The arena has been the home of the Milwaukee Panthers men's basketball team at three different times—first from 1993 to 1998, then from 2003 to 2012, and since 2013. The Panthers played their 2012–2013 home games at the 3,500-seat Klotsche Center on UWM's east side campus. The move generated complaints from some Panthers fans and attendance lagged as the team had its worst record since the 1990s.[citation needed] After Amanda Braun was named UWM's athletic director in March 2013, she said she would re-examine the decision to move games from the U.S. Cellular Arena. In July 2013, UWM officials reached a 5-year contract with the Wisconsin Center District that was set to run through 2018 before the 2014 naming rights deal extended the partnership through at least 2024.[8]

In 2014, the arena was renovated to install new seats in the lower bowl, a new scoreboard, and updated signage to reflect the name change.[9]

On March 16, 2016, it was announced the Admirals signed a 10-year lease with a five-year mutual extension. Also included on the deal was $6.3 million for upgrades to the arena, including new concession areas and a team store.[10]

On October 26, 2017, the Bucks returned to the arena for a regular season game against the Boston Celtics in honor of their 50th anniversary in the NBA. For this event, the Bucks, by agreement with Robert Indiana, installed a newly built floor featuring a duplicate of his original MECCA court for that game only.[6] After the game, the floor was temporarily moved to Menominee Nation Arena in Oshkosh, home to the Bucks' NBA G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.[11]

Seating capacity

[edit]

The seating capacity for basketball has changed as follows:

Years Capacity
1950–1961 11,046[12]
1961–1968 11,138[13]
1968–1973 10,746[14]
1973–1980 10,938[15]
1980–1998 11,052[16]
1998–2004 11,358[17]
2004–present 10,783[18]

Other uses

[edit]

Basketball tournaments

[edit]

As the MECCA, the building hosted first- and second-round games in the Mideast Regional of the 1984 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

The arena also hosted all or part of every Horizon League men's basketball conference tournament from 2003 to 2011, including a sold-out crowd of 10,783 for the 2005 championship game, where Milwaukee defeated Detroit 59–58.[9]

Concerts

[edit]

Since the 1960s, the Arena has held a number of concerts by high-profile performers. The Beatles headlined a performance in the Arena as part of their historic 1964 U.S. tour,[19] and Elvis Presley performed 2 back-to-back shows at the Arena in 1972. He would return again in 1974 and 1977, with the latter occurring 4 months before his death later that year.[20]

In 1980, Queen performed at the Arena.[21] Bob Dylan played a two-night stand there as part of his Fall 1981 tour, and returned in both 1999 and 2001 for one-night appearances.[22] The Grateful Dead performed there during their spring 1989 tour.[23]

Professional wrestling

[edit]

The arena has also hosted professional wrestling events, including WCW's SuperBrawl (1992), Clash of the Champions XXXIV (1997)[24] and Mayhem (2000). It also hosted the World Wrestling Federation's King of the Ring (1996), and Over the Edge (1998). It was at the aforementioned King of the Ring card where Stone Cold Steve Austin first uttered his now-famous "Austin 3:16" catchphrase. It was scheduled to host the April 1, 2020 edition of All Elite Wrestling Dynamite before coronavirus-related public assembly concerns postponed the circuit's Milwaukee show to August 25, 2021.[25]

Naming rights

[edit]

The arena opened as Milwaukee Arena in 1950 before changing its name to MECCA Arena once the Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center and Arena (MECCA) complex formally opened in 1974. In 1994, when the Wisconsin Center District was created, the MECCA name was retired and the arena became Wisconsin Center Arena.

Telecommunications company U.S. Cellular became the naming rights holder in 2000. They renewed their deal in 2007, worth $2.4 million over 7 years.[26]

U.S. Cellular's naming rights expired on May 31, 2014, and they did not renew their contract.[27] On June 26, 2014, it was announced that the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM) purchased the naming rights, renaming the arena to UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena, as part of a 10-year, $3.4 million deal that would run through 2024, with UWM having an option to extend it through 2029.[26] The deal made the arena the official site for major UWM events such as graduation ceremonies and university-hosted speakers. In 2021, UWM received a 25% reduction in their 2020 payment, equivalent to $87,500, after the COVID-19 pandemic left the arena nearly empty for the year.[28]

Images

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Jones, Robert F. (April 10, 1960). "Arena Opening in 1950 Like Dream Come True". The Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 9. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
  2. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  3. ^ "Arena Bonds Draw Only One Bid; Offer Rejected". Milwaukee Journal. December 16, 1948. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  4. ^ On This Day in Wisconsin History
  5. ^ "Picture of the field" (PNG).
  6. ^ a b Nelson, James B. (October 20, 2017). "Milwaukee Bucks re-create Robert Indiana's colorful MECCA floor for one game". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  7. ^ Walker, Don (July 17, 2007). "Arena Football is Back in Milwaukee". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved July 17, 2007.
  8. ^ Kirchen, Rich (July 15, 2015). "UWM men's basketball returning to U.S. Cellular Arena". The Business Journal. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  9. ^ a b "Facilities". Milwaukee Athletics. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  10. ^ Kirchen, Rich (March 6, 2016). "Admirals sign 10-year lease at Panther Arena; $6.3 million in upgrades in works". bizjournals.com. Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  11. ^ "Replica MECCA floor makes stop in Oshkosh". WLUK-TV. 2017-12-28. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  12. ^ Breslin, Jimmy (February 19, 1959). "Hawks Too Big In St. Louis So Hickey Lifts Marquette". Star-Banner. Ocala, Florida. p. 9. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
  13. ^ Bledsoe, Terry (December 26, 1962). "Luncheon, Clinic Are Extras For Classic Tournament Fans". The Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
  14. ^ Kupper, Mike (February 26, 1970). "MU to Set Record, Despite New Math". The Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
  15. ^ "Seating At Arena Increased To 10,938". The Milwaukee Journal. August 23, 1973. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
  16. ^ "Arena Will Get 114 More Seats". The Milwaukee Sentinel. September 25, 1980. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
  17. ^ Dabe, Christopher (January 3, 2004). "Eagles Anxious to Put Down Roots". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
  18. ^ "Facilities: Panther Arena". UW-Milwaukee Athletics. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  19. ^ "The day the Beatles conquered Milwaukee: A look back at Sept. 4, 1964". JSOnline.com. September 4, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  20. ^ Foran, Chris (January 7, 2016). "Elvis Presley left the building in Milwaukee in 1972, 1974, 1977". JSOnline.com. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  21. ^ "Milwaukee Concerts". The Journal Times. August 14, 1980. Retrieved May 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Setlists". BobDylan.com. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  23. ^ "1989-04-15 The MECCA, Milwaukee, WI, USA". JerryGarcia.com. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  24. ^ "Clash of Champions Results (XXXIV)". Archived from the original on 2010-11-28.
  25. ^ Kasabian, Paul (13 March 2020). "AEW Relocating April's St. Louis, Milwaukee Shows Because of Coronavirus". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  26. ^ a b Walker, Don (2014-06-26). "Former U.S. Cellular Arena to be named for UWM Panthers". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
  27. ^ Michele, Michele. "Name change in the works for US Cellular Arena". Archived from the original on 2014-10-23. Retrieved 2014-05-27.
  28. ^ Kirchen, Rich (2021-04-08). "UWM gets 25% reduction in naming-rights fee for Panther Arena during pandemic". Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
[edit]
Events and tenants
Preceded by Home of the
Milwaukee Hawks
1951–1955 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
first arena
 Home of the
Milwaukee Bucks
1968–1988 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Host of the
NBA All-Star Game
1977 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=UW–Milwaukee_Panther_Arena&oldid=1260274925"