Jerry's Brokendown Palaces: Bradley Center, 1001 N. Fourth and State St., Milwaukee, WI

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Bradley Center, 1001 N. Fourth and State St., Milwaukee, WI

Seating capacity 20000

The arena was opened on October 1, 1988 with an exhibition hockey game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers. At $90 million, it was meant to be a modern replacement of its current cross-street neighbor, The MECCA (currently named the U.S. Cellular Arena).
Funds to build the Bradley Center were donated as a gift to the State of Wisconsin by philanthropists Jane Pettit and Lloyd Pettit in memory of Jane's late father, Harry Lynde Bradley of the Allen-Bradley company.
There's a lack of modern features such as revenue-boosting club seating, state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, along with outdated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, deteriorating seating, outdated event production technology, and insufficient parking around the arena.
Today, the Bradley Center, one of the oldest arenas in the National Basketball Association, is an economic basket case.

INTERESTING FACTS AND FIGURES:

The building weighs 79,000 tons, stands 149 feet high, and is constructed of 21,000 cubic yards of concrete and 1,500 tons of structural steel. The lead-coated copper roof covers approximately three acres and rises to 13 stories at its highest point.
The Bradley Center has 24 entrances and exits with primary guest entryways located at each corner of the building. The northeast entrance on Fourth Street serves the Bradley Center Ticket and Administrative offices. The southeast entrance, also on Fourth Street, serves the Milwaukee Bucks Ticket and Administrative offices. The southwest entrance on State Street serves the Milwaukee Admirals Ticket and Administrative offices.
Inside each lobby, double rows of concrete columns with polished granite bases rise almost 70 feet to support a spectacular skylight system. Granite is also used in the lobby floor and in the grand stairway that leads to the 200 Level, as well as the entire exterior of the building.
The Bradley Center hosts approximately 200 events and 2,000,000 guests each year.
The Center can accommodate up to 20,000 guests, depending on the event. The 200 (Lower) Level of the Center accommodates approximately 8,000 spectators and provides 23 rows of seats for hockey and 26 rows for basketball. The 300 Level features 68 private suites which accommodate up to 20 guests per suite. Each suite is equipped with a wet bar, refrigerator, telephones, private restroom, custom furniture, and cable television. The 400 Level of the Center seats approximately 10,000 spectators in 21 rows of seats.