Bucks’ New Bar Is “The MECCA”

The sports bar planned for the Milwaukee Bucks entertainment center outside of Fiserv Forum will be known as The MECCA Sports Bar and Grill.

Urban Milwaukee broke the news on January 24th that the team was opening a bar next to Good City Brewing at 333 W. Juneau Ave.

According to a statement from the team, the bar, with a 600-person capacity, will “recreate the in-game experience by featuring state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment built around the centerpiece of a 36-foot high-definition screen.” Outdoor seating will be provided on the first and second levels.

The name is an homage to the team’s original home in the MECCA Arena. MECCA, which stands for Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center and Arena, was the name of a complex that was replaced by the construction of the Wisconsin Center convention hall (then the Midwest Express Center).

The arena, now known as the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, is still standing at 400 W. Kilbourn Ave. and regularly used for a variety of events, including serving as the home of the Milwaukee Admirals hockey team, UW-Milwaukee men’s basketball team and Milwaukee Wave indoor soccer team. The Bucks moved to the BMO Harris Bradley Center in 1988.

The Bucks, who won their only title while playing in the building, played a throwback game in the building last season versus the Boston Celtics. The team’s “City Edition” jersey for this season features a cutout of the iconic MECCA court designed by famed artist Robert Indiana.

The name will certainly cause some confusion for younger Milwaukeeans and visiting fans. It is not a reference to the city in Saudi Arabia that served as the birthplace for the prophet Muhammad. Millions of Muslims travel to Mecca annually as the city is regarding as the holiest city in the religion of Islam and a pilgrimage to the city is a pillar of the faith.

The new bar is being designed by architecture firm RINKA. The firm designed the exterior of the entertainment buildings. ADK Design is listed as the general contractor on the building permit.

“We are thrilled to extend our esteemed food and beverage program beyond Fiserv Forum into The MECCA Sports Bar and Grill,” said Justin Green, Vice President of Hospitality for the Bucks. “Guests will enjoy an elevated sports bar culinary experience with incredible versions of sports bar fare along with signature items that will surprise and delight.”

Permits on file with the city list a variety of spaces planned for the establishment, including a theater dining room, viewing deck, skybox dining room and private dining room. The bar will share a second-story patio with Good City Brewing.

Good City Brewing opened in mid-January and will soon be joined by the Bucks’ new bar, Punch Bowl Social and Drink Wisconsinbly Pub. A small, team-owned bar, dubbed “The Beer Garden,” opened last year to provide drinks for those watching games or other televised events on the massive screen in the alley connecting the plaza with N. Old World Third St.

We here at Urban Milwaukee offered some wry predictions of possible names for the Bucks bar in our past story, including “The MECCA Tap” — pretty close. And never mind our other suggestions,

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