The Milwaukee Bucks have yet to settle on a location for a new stadium and the final finances are still being worked on, but the team has hired three firms to begin developing designs.
Wednesday, the Bucks announced they hired Populus and HNTB Corp., both based in Kansas City, Mo., as well as Wisconsin-based Eppstein Uhen to "develop designs for a new sports and entertainment complex in downtown Milwaukee."
"Wisconsin deserves a world-class sports and entertainment destination that embraces Milwaukee's architecture and incorporates innovative elements from across the globe," Bucks co-owner Wes Edens said in a statement. "We are confident that this team has the expertise to create the ultimate fan-centric arena and a year-round public space, both of which will be integral to downtown Milwaukee's transformation. By hiring a design team to help create a vision for this development, we continue to work toward ensuring that the Bucks permanently remain a vital Wisconsin asset."
While many factors are still missing in the building of a new stadium, the Bucks wanted to get out in front of the situation.
"While the development of a sports and entertainment center still requires state and local government support, the Bucks are engaging architects at this time to help ensure the project is able to meet the anticipated deadline," the team explained in a release.
Populus has been involved in many stadium designs, including the NBA arena in Orlando and upcoming facilities in Quebec City and Las Vegas. Overall, Populus has designed 15 NBA or NHL arenas.
"We're excited to be leading this design team and create more momentum around this incredible project," said Brad Clark, senior designer at Populous. "We intend to leverage our global experience and expertise in arena design to create a destination that is not just for game day, but for every day. We plan to create a design that will drive year-round economic growth for the entire community and state."
