Friends, we need to keep the Milwaukee Bucks in Milwaukee for one simple reason, having an NBA franchise is a large part of defining Milwaukee as a major city and Wisconsin as big time state to do business in. Being percieved as a large, dynamic city is crucially important to economic development and growth, which in turn offers more opportunity to all citizens of Milwaukee and Wisconsin, but mostly lower and middle income. Wealthy people, whether they live in Milwaukee, Eau Claire or Sturgeon Bay, their life isn’t going to change in a generation whether we have more economic development in and around Milwaukee or not. But plenty of others have the chance to benefit from more money being spent, businesses expanding, jobs created and the perception of things going on if Milwaukee is viewed by others as a place to be.
People who travel know that Milwaukee truly is a great place to live, work and raise a family. In most cities, real estate on the shore is occupied by offices building, high rise condos or hotels. Our lakefront is breathtakingly beautiful and its open to the public! Our downtown is dynamically improving with each new development as more people chose to live and work downtown, in the Third Ward, Walker’s Point or the East Side. Our near and far suburbs offer great lifestyles but are at most a 30-45 minute commute to downtown or anywhere else in the area.
Realize it or not, Milwaukee and Wisconsin are competing in the global economy. NBA basketball is becoming a global sport, followed by fans in Europe, Asia and South America. The free marketing delivered around the world every night by NBA games and highlights literally puts Milwaukee and Wisconsin on the map for millions of people who otherwise would never hear of us. Green Bay Packers are a huge national brand and the Milwaukee Brewers are nice, but neither American football or baseball has a market outside of the United States like basketball clearly has.
For Wisconsinites outside of the Milwaukee area, helping Milwaukee helps all of Wisconsin. This is so self-evident that it needs no explanation to any rational person.
Miller Park has been a great success for Milwaukee and Wisconsin. Financing for Miller Park almost failed and it took one brave Racine legislator, George Petak, to provide the winning difference. The others who voted no were all concerned with their self-interest rather than the people’s interest. For the Bucks’ Arena, let’s hope there are more George Petaks out there.
McCormick Law Office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin represents persons injured in automobile accidents and in workers’ compensation neck and back injuries. McCormick Law Office supports the Milwaukee Bucks.
