The Bradley Center of Attraction - News 4 Milwaukee 1988

[Music] [Music] Oh Bradley Center of Attraction Agnew's for special brought to you by the coca-cola bottling company of Wisconsin proud to be the exclusive soft drink renew Bradley semi by Pontiac we build excitement by hearty we're out to win you over and by the Campbell Soup Company and now your hosts Mike Jacobs and Mike coucher this is it the plans and models are becoming reality good evening everyone and welcome to the new Bradley Center it's a great arena for sports and entertainment also a great source of pride for everybody in Southeast Wisconsin so tonight for the next 30 minutes we'll celebrate together we'll give you a sneak preview of behind-the-scenes tour of Milwaukee's newest landmark and joining us tonight some of our friends from News 4 from WTMJ radio and from 94w kpi Elizabeth Kay will show us the special touches that make this building unique Juliet Peters with a user's guide to the Bradley Center how about the party what about the new seats and of course where and what genuine wkt is reitman a Miller living the life of the rich and famous will give us a tour of a luxury box our sports team will show us what's in store for sports fans including something special about the new scoreboard melody Wilson will tell us how our new arena compares to others around the country John McCullough will bring us a rare interview with the people who made all of this possible Jean and Lloyd Pettit that and much more tonight as News 4 celebrates the Bradley Center of attraction [Music] [Applause] the box are for sale the key to keeping an NBA team in Milwaukee maybe a new or rebuilt arena cannot do it with the president in my judgment property tax dollars should not finance expanded or new arena the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team will be owned in Milwaukee Mya prominent Milwaukee businessman the Bucks need a new arena in which to play the Milwaukee Common Council would like to see a new Sports Complex downtown the Milwaukee County Board is on record supporting a County Stadium fight Jane and I are going to fund and have constructed a new sports and entertainment facility the indoor sports and entertainment facility is to be built not downtown but just to the west of county stadium I should like to mention a forceful plea that all consideration be given to a downtown location the reality of the fact is that it will stay at County Stadium but if the city has something better to offer the Pettit's will listen what have we got to offer some third Street merchants meanwhile still display signs of protest against the move to build here apparently all of the flap over where it should be built is over our preference there's a site downtown we've attempted in this case to incorporate all of the best features of the facilities throughout the country the debate over where to build this great facility is history for today construction officially begins on a new Bradley Center welcome back to our news 4 special on the new Bradley Center well this is where the action will be the thing that strikes me is how big and how open this place is we're told that it'll seat 18,000 plus for basketball almost 20,000 for concerts you know it's big but one of the things that we've noticed is all the attention to detail here News 4 is Elizabeth case then looking at the design of this building and she have some highlights on that for us Elizabeth Mike this is the atrium a beautiful part of the entrance to the Bradley Center by opening night it'll be filled with trees and potted plants a welcome sight on those cold winter nights during basketball and hockey seasons the Bradley Center is filled with special touches like that it has a real style from the air you can see the building is symmetrical there is no single main entrance there are four one on each corner with atriums on two sides the building is just north of the mecca and at its highest point it's 13 stories tall from the street you see plazas on each corner soon to be lined with trees and a recurring shape the Octagon this mimicking the shape of the allen-bradley clock the Bradley Center of course is named for the founder of that company there is a blend of textures polished granite rough concrete smooth smoked glass there are huge arches neoclassical architecture were told inside the atrium with grey glass sixty feet high classic columns granite pavers balconies with dramatic views of the city [Music] in the con courses bringing the three seating levels the floor is made of quarry tile at the concession stands glass block adding a touch of class to abrupt and a beer the design is a team effort between a firm America called venture architects and group in Kansas City that specializes in designing sports facilities sports it's all they do Mike thanks Betsy you know the first big game is coming up that's only six nights away that big one between the Black Hawks and the Edmonton Oilers and at this point a lot of people are wondering what is it going to be like to come here to the Bradley Center it will be a new experience for all of us who got used to the arena for all of those years so we asked our consumer reporter Juliette Peters to walk us through it in a unique way Juliet Mike whether it's the arena or the Bradley Center it starts the same way in the car trying to find parking there's a brand new rod across the street just northeast of the Bradley Center it holds 905 cars if you can't get in here plan to park where you did for the arena remember the Bradley Center is just one block north oh by the way one drawback there are no sidewalks leading into the Bradley Center so when it's cold outside we're going to be cold outside I have to in the center in the second row right there oh that very nice and what is that there are 14 ticket windows around the Bradley Center thank you the cheap seats were cost about the same as they did at the arena most expensive seats will cost more you can take the stairs to your seats the escalator or elevator there are three seating levels this is the lowest level closest to the floor and rolls about 8,000 people up here on the second level there are 68 luxury boxes this is the third level the highest seats about 10,000 people we're told that all of the seating was arranged by computer to make sure that each fan has a good view and it seems that even from up here you'll see pretty well as by the way the seats are upholstered very comfortable enough about sitting we're getting hungry let's check out the food sure a concession stands around the Bradley Center the sell your typical concession stands fair things like hotdogs brought beer and soda but there are also four other concession stand that sell things like jelly sandwiches peeps up chili and other stuff in fact the great thing about going out and getting something to eat is that you don't have to miss any of the action because there are video monitors over each of the concession stand so you can watch while you're out here eatin and what kind of a guide would I be if I didn't tell you about the bathrooms 14 for men 14 for women it appears the designers kept in mind the needs of the disabled here at the concession stand for instance the council is lowered to accommodate someone in a wheelchair Mike thanks a lot Juliet you know Julia briefly mentioned the luxury boxes here there are 68 and all all the two have been leased and if you're wondering how much you have to pay for those luxury box is all about 35,000 to $55,000 and who better to take a look at luxury than two guys who've never been close to it probably don't even know how to spell the word luxury wkt is morning team the very elegant Reitman and Miller they are not really good a little bit are they hiding just for this one night take it away Bob and Jean hey thanks Mike and Mike seaman we are Suite 304 the high-rent district the luxury suites let's take a look in the eyes I cannot wait make those shoes off it's right here so the agreement carpet start this up inside the restaurant our restroom yeah I was checking out it looks like oh sorry but we'll check that out later it's beautiful trust us thank you go to the closet take care of your rep sir they are lovely the closet that is and our ramps to okay in here you see wall-to-wall floors covered with carpeting James right there will be furniture in time for the game couches tables all those amenities that you need to make it comfortable running water a sink and lots of drawer space cabinet space up here and there will be pictures like you said lighting some drawers over there and here are large sliding glass doors close the area ottoman you can break the Radley Center or you can sit out beautiful no worries about it somebody spilling beer down your neck look at this plastic on the seats just like grandma's house let's try seats 1 & 2 in this beautiful oh he's playing hockey with Springsteen at lead guitar look at the head on that one what what this is my cat it down the Bradley Center in the luxury suite we're right in the Miller back to you guys hope they enjoyed that that's one of the last times they're gonna see a luxury box in their taste once is definitely enough yeah steam clean that thing after they got done with it may be hard to believe but we still have much more coming up on our special tonight when we come back an inside look at what's special for sports and music fans here at the Bradley Center hi this is Paul Molitor the brewers I'm really excited looking for the opportunity to go down to the new Bradley Center this winter hi this is Bob Uecker and I'm really looking forward to spending many wonderful nights at the Bradley Center in one of the front row seats welcome back to our special on the Bradley Center except for a few workmen this place is pretty much empty for now but that won't last long it's going to get very very busy you know it's expected that over the course of a year about a million and a half to two million people will come here from all over the Midwest one of the big draws of course will be sports there will be basketball there will be hockey there will be soccer and much much more so we've asked our sports friends at News 4 and W TMZ radio can tell us more about what the fans can expect we start with Dennis Crowley Dennis Mike one of the very special features of the new Bradley Center is the new scoreboard it has four giant video screens and it features instant replay so just like at home when there's a great play you'll get a chance to see it again so just like at home when there's a great play you'll get a chance to see it again well I guess there are some things that you'd rather not see twice anyway the fans aren't the only ones excited about the Bradley Center those covering events here in the Bradley Center also have new facilities and Hank Stoddard has more on that thanks Dennis I'm up here with a media we'll be seated for sporting events here at the Bradley Center I tell you I've been a part of the milwaukee media for more than 20 years can't remember any treatment like this we're right up here in the skybox level on the mezzanine with all the paying customers the high paying customers our viewers outstanding right at center court or center ice whichever the case may be may be a little different than being right down at courtside with all the sweating bodies but the views great the facility's wonderful and that's just part of a tank not only are the reporters looking forward to the opening of the Bradley Center but obviously the tenants are to one of those tenants the Marquette Warriors and with me as Marquette athletic director Bill cords that you can't wait for your basketball team we playing inside the Bradley Center Brian we're really looking forward to this and first thank you to Floyd and Jane and Lloyd Pettit for providing this outstanding facility for the city and for the state it's it's important to our players it's also important to our fans it's an excellent place to watch any kind of an event particularly basketball we're kicking it all off officially December 2nd and 3rd with the first Bank Milwaukee classic we do have an exhibition game on the 14th but everything starts officially with a first bank on Milwaukee class that is athletic director bill cords at Marquette University they're preparing for a different kind of sport right now inside the Bradley Center though and with that we go to John Gillespie Bryan right now they're getting ready for hockey for Saturday's big opening night game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers an ice rink for hockey a wooden court for basketball artificial grass for soccer the Bradley Center floor will be converted more than 125 times between October and April to these sports and other events the people who run the center say the key to a modern facility like this is to be able to convert it easily it takes about 30 people to make a change and it looks like they're going to have a lot of work and remember the colorful design of the center of the basketball court in the arena no such thing here the center of the basketball court at the Bradley Center will be more conventional both the names of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Marquette University Warriors will be represented on the floor and oh by the way I have a feeling sports reporters are going to enjoy covering games here Mike and Mike thanks John you know they're gonna be a lot of exciting games here but the Bradley Center is not just for sports yeah there will be family shows and concerts and news Ford's Elizabeth Kay is backstage to see what the stars will see Elizabeth Mike what an entertainer arrives at the Bradley Center this is where the action begins it's called the staging area the road crews can drive their semi trailers right in that doorway bring them right into the center where they can unload costumes musical instruments speakers and a drive the semi trailers right out the other side of the building it'll be a bitty place [Music] we all know Milwaukee's packed with entertainment in the summer the Bradley Center should attract big stars even when it's cold outside it will hold about 20,000 people for concerts chairs will go where the hockey rink is now the stage will be placed at the north end of the arena Bruce Springsteen's our next verse served as a consultant here we're told the acoustics are state-of-the-art and it doesn't look like much now but eventually this will be one of four luxury dressing rooms equipped with a full bath a dining area a lounge it sounds like something we could use back at the station huh Mike hmm maybe we'll have to start doing the new guest right out of here I could go forever coming up somewhat touching words from the people who made this place possible Jane and Lloyd better in a rare interview with John McCullough congratulations Milwaukee the Bradley Center is top-shelf it puts us in a new level of sport it's the jewel inside the crown congratulations now walking on the new Bradley Center it's gonna be fantastic and Lloyd Jane thank you for the donation but can you donate me some money so I can play in the place please [Music] welcome back to our news for special ones a new Bradley Center you know I think people in Milwaukee certainly will like the Bradley Center but perhaps they're wondering how does it stack up against other arenas around the country well News 4's melodie Wilson has been checking in to that Mel my pal construction crews rebuilding the Bradley Center here in Milwaukee or other major new arenas we're going up around the country how did they compare to ours well you've seen the Bradley Center in its special features let's take a look at the other in Miami it's the Miami arena with art deco colors and design it opened in July cost fifty two and a half million dollars about the same as the Bradley Center but it has fewer seats and fewer luxury boxes the Miami arena was paid for by private business people and through attacks on tourists the Bucs will play here this winter against the new NBA team the Miami Heat in Charlotte North Carolina it's the Charlotte Coliseum this one also cost about the same as the Bradley Center but can hold more people in fact with 25,000 seats the Charlotte Coliseum is the largest of the new arenas its most striking features the largest eight sided scoreboard in the world came crashing down last month just a day after the Coliseum opened no one was hurt and a new giant scoreboard is on its way this arena will host the new NBA team the Charlotte Hornets in Sacramento California it's the Arco Arena which opened earlier this month this cost about 40 million the least expensive of the new arenas and seats fewer fans than the Bradley Center most of it was paid for by Arco the Atlantic Richfield Petroleum Company the rest by the owners of the NBA Sacramento Kings who will play here just outside Detroit in the suburb of Auburn Hills it's the palace the new home of the Detroit Pistons it's bigger than the Bradley Center and a lot more expensive cost seventy million dollars the most expensive of the new arenas it was paid for privately a lot of the money raised by leasing 180 luxury boxes more than twice as many is at the Bradley Center you know in all these communities are excited about their new facilities after our video tour it's clear we have good reason to be proud of ours as well Mike I think I'd go along with that actually we stack up pretty well - yeah and look around this building and pretend for just a minute that somebody would pay for the whole thing and then simply give it to you well that is exactly what happened Jana Lloyd Pettit gave fifty three million dollars for the new Bradley Center has attributed Jane Pettit's father here aligned Bradley and they don't both divide what they do in fact they rarely grant interviews but they were kind enough on this one occasion to sit down with our John McCullough and talk about this very special gift what kind of feelings do you have now on the week before the opening came great excitement really John and a little bit of not quite believing it's really happening the Bradley Center is so exciting for Jane and me that it's almost intimidating and the intimidation aspect of it comes this way I believe that this is a tribute to Harry Bradley not only for 1988 but a tribute to Harry Bradley perhaps in perpetuity and if there are any honors to be received in life and not many of us get them John that certainly would be one that would be proper for mr. Bradley well you were both of you were planning the Bradley Center you wanted it always to be the very best why just because of for whom it's named John I think I can't speak for bud but I didn't know what was the very best just asked for the very best and I think we got it I really do could've built a statue up and put it up somewhere but this is something that would mean so much to me build a gymnasium for his his employees he wanted them to be comfortable and happy now let's hope that everyone enjoys this thing is being put up in his memory the new building the Bradley Center was not only dedicated to the community but it was dedicated to the workers of the Allen Bradley company a lot of people John have forgotten that and I just wanted to remind everybody that that still stands that would have made your dad happy wouldn't it King oh yes tremendously so because he cared so much but everyone who worked there was one of his great interest Terry recollections do have of him when you think of him what do you think I think a lot of fun we had a great time together and we just he just gave me such a wonderful growing up period such a great childhood and he just every memory I have amazing good one day he was very ill at the end and that was sad but the entire time that we spent together really was just quality just terrific just like he was I did some secretary work for him when he was between secretaries and I did the switchboard allen-bradley - love that that was fun that's when Allen Bradley was really followed up I think he's probably ready I think he has a point there your dream isn't finished yet is it Lloyd you are still talking about an NHL team the dream of course will continue until it becomes a reality we have officially a long time ago with our bid in for it franchise you know about our recent affiliation with the Vancouver Canucks and everyone from Vancouver has said that this facility is absolutely sensational and majorly so possibilities sure we deal in notes and anything that comes along John for that possibility we investigate and we investigate thoroughly you know know him well remember him well what do you think his thought would be as he looks upon the Bradley Center today would he be pleased would he be awed would he be Oh what what do you think I know it's impossible wonderful I think he'd be very pleased I think just to be remembered and to be loved that much would please anyone don't you building or no building just a thought there was a calmness about Harry Bradley there was a conservatism about Harry Bradley but deep inside and I think Jane hit it right on the head and way down deep he would say this is just fine it really is quite a gift yes it is coming up a behind-the-scenes look at how we captured a very unusual part of the Bradley Center story hi I'm Tom truffle horn manage of the Milwaukee Brewers and his art season winds down I'm getting excited about the opening of the new Bradley Center a first-class facility for our first class Milwaukee City hi I'm Mayor John Norquist and I want to say welcome to the new Bradley Center the sports and entertainment capital of the state of Wisconsin welcome back you know we've all been watching the Bradley Center grow into this all the way since the groundbreaking back in October of 1986 at the beginning of our program we showed you a videotape of the senator going up from the very start of the building process to the very end showed it to you in about 20 seconds I think it's worth another look that was shot by News 4 photographer Jim Angele every other week for two years Jim climbed to the top of a parking lot across the street from the Bradley Center tied up his equipment and pulled it up he put his tripod in precisely the same position each time hooked up the camera and photographed the building as it grew News fours John Crosland edited all of the pictures together now I know getting those pictures wasn't easy Jimmy went up there on some very very cold day yeah a big effort on his part but he really captured a bit of Milwaukee history in the making and now another exciting historic moment lies just ahead in just six lights the grand opening of this grand building and what a night it's going to be well we certainly hope you enjoyed the sneak preview with the Bradley Center we certainly enjoyed bringing it to you in the spirit of this Olympic week let the games begin good night the Bradley Center for traction brought to you by the coca-cola bottling company of Wisconsin the exclusive soft drink of a Bradley Center by Pontiac we build excitement by Hardy's way out to win you over and by the Campbell Soup Company [Music] this has been a news 4 special [Music]

Channel: Dan Kallenberger Editor/Motion Artist

Views: 11,206

Rating: 4.9136691 out of 5

Keywords: news 4 milwaukee, tmj4, bradley center, bucks arena, bucks old arena, Bradley Center of Attraction, reitman and mueller, 94wkti, mike jacobs, mike gousha, juliet peters, elizabeth kay, dennis krause, hank stoddard, melodie wilson, john mccullogh, brian manthey, john gillespie, Bob Reitman, gene mueller

Id: tq-xC46foiI

Length: 26min 10sec (1570 seconds)

Published: Tue Feb 20 2018

Reddit Comments

[u/illestMFKAalive]

So many good memories in that building. It was a piece of shit but at least it was fully paid for with private funding.

[u/the_blackfish]

RIP Melodie Wilson

[u/Tr2v]

I can’t believe I just watched a 30 year old program in its entirety... and enjoyed it. Now I’m going to miss that place. The new one is so ugly.

[u/JoshTheWoodsman]

I can already hear the vaporwave remix.