UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena Announced as New Home of Milwaukee Admirals

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin – March 16, 2016 – Today, the Wisconsin Center District (WCD) and Milwaukee Admirals announced terms of a new ten-year lease agreement to bring the AHL hockey franchise to the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. The announcement follows approval of the agreement by the WCD Board of Directors earlier this morning.

“This agreement is a win for taxpayers, a win for the Admirals, a win for the District, and a win for downtown Milwaukee,” said WCD Board Chairman Scott Neitzel. “On behalf of the Wisconsin Center District, we’re thrilled to welcome the Admirals to the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. With the new revenue and economic activity generated by this partnership, we are one step closer to realizing an exciting vision for the future of the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and downtown as a whole.”

“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our franchise and our fans,” said Harris Turer, Governor and CEO of the Milwaukee Admirals. “We thank the Wisconsin Center District and its Board of Directors for helping to create this partnership which will keep Admirals hockey and entertainment in downtown Milwaukee for the long-term. As an organization, we also look forward to working with the WCD to enhance the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena which will create a great home ice advantage for our players and our fans.”

The lease agreement culminates several months of work by the WCD and Admirals to secure the team’s long-term future in downtown Milwaukee. Overall, the agreement is largely consistent with the Admirals’ existing lease at the BMO Harris Bradley Center and other minor league hockey franchises.

In addition to being the home of the UW-Milwaukee basketball team, the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena will now play host to approximately thirty-eight Admirals events a year and provide an additional source of revenue for the Wisconsin Center District.

The WCD also acknowledges the BMO Harris Bradley Center and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for their work in facilitating this move.
UW-Milwaukee chancellor Mark Mone said the university is pleased that the Admirals will be playing in the UW Milwaukee Panther Arena.
“We welcome the Admirals and all of their fans to the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. The Admirals are a great organization and will be a wonderful addition to the historic building that bears our name.”

The Admirals will begin play at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena beginning with the 2016-2017 season. The team will release game and ticket information at a later date. For more information keep checking the Milwaukee Admirals website-http://www.milwaukeeadmirals.com/

About the Wisconsin Center District

The Wisconsin Center District (WCD) is a government body created under Wisconsin State Statute in 1994 to fund, build and operate the Midwest Express Center (now Wisconsin Center) in downtown Milwaukee, and continue operating the existing venues now called the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and Milwaukee Theatre.

Not a unit of state, county or city government, WCD is instead a semi-autonomous municipality called a “district,” meaning its leaders are appointed by elected officials, and it can issue bonds and collect taxes within strict limits established by statute.

About the Milwaukee Admirals

The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League, the top development league to the National Hockey League. Affiliated with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League since 1998, the Admirals have qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs in 12 of the last 13 seasons including winning the Calder Cup in the 2004-2005 season. Since becoming a professional team during the 1976-77 season, the Admirals have called Wilson Park, the MECCA, and the BMO Harris Bradley Center their home drawing more than 8.5 million fans.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.