State lawmaker proposes new location for new Milwaukee arena

MILWAUKEE-State Representative Josh Zepnick offered a whole new location for a new arena in Milwaukee.

\"Instead place the new arena between the Marquette campus and Potawatomi Hotel and Casino,\" said the democrat who represents Milwaukee's south side. \"There's over 600,000 acres of empty space that isn't collecting taxes that's ripe for development.\"

 

He made the suggestion after Alderman Terry Witkowski, who also represents the south side asked the legislature to change law to clear a hurdle to developing a downtown arena.

\"I'm asking the state of Wisconsin legislature to change the laws they created for the Bradley and Wisconsin Center District and see if they can merge them into one with enlightened conversation about what's best for Downtown Milwaukee,\" Witkowski said at City Hall.

The longtime alderman says it's just become too difficult to reach consensus with two different boards on what buildings should stay, or go, or be renovated.

Witkowski says Milwaukee needs to come to resolution soon because it's in fierce competition with cities like Grand Rapids, Michigan and Omaha, Nebraska when it comes to convention space and bookings.