U.S. Cellular Arena

U.S. Cellular Arena
The Cell, The Arena

Former names Milwaukee Arena (1968–1974)
MECCA Arena (1974–1995)
Milwaukee Arena (aka Wisconsin Center Arena) (1995–2000)
Location 400 W Kilbourn Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203
Broke ground 1945
Opened 1950
Owner Wisconsin Center District
Operator Wisconsin Center District
Surface Maple basketball floor, concrete, ice, or Astroturf
Construction cost $10 million USD
($91.2 million in 2012 dollars[1])
Architect Eschweiler & Eschweiler
Capacity 12,700 (maximum)
10,783 (basketball)
9,500 (Indoor Soccer)
Tenants
Milwaukee Wave (MISL) (1984–1987, 2003–present)
Milwaukee Panthers (NCAA) (1992–1998, 2003–present)
Horizon League Championship (2004, 2005, 2006, 2011)
Milwaukee Iron (AFL) (2010; 1 playoff game) Milwaukee Hawks (NBA) (1951–1955)
Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) (1968–1988)
Milwaukee Admirals (IHL) (1984–1987)
Marquette Warriors (NCAA) (1974–1989)
Milwaukee Bonecrushers (CIFL) (2008–2009)

U.S. Cellular Arena (originally Milwaukee Arena and formerly MECCA Arena and Wisconsin Center Arena) is an indoor arena, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The arena, which seats as many as 12,700 people and offers 41,000 feet of floor space, is part of a larger downtown campus, that includes the Milwaukee Theatre and Frontier Airlines Center.

The arena was part of the MECCA Complex (The Milwaukee Exposition Convention Center and Arena) 1974-1995.

It is the current home of the Milwaukee Panthers, of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Contents

History

It opened in 1950 and was one of the first to accommodate the needs of broadcast television. It was folded into the MECCA complex when it opened in 1974. It is also known for its former unique basketball court painted by Robert Indiana in 1978, with large rainbow 'M's taking up both half-courts representing Milwaukee.

It was home to the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA from 1968-1988, and hosted the 1977 NBA All-Star Game before an audience of 10,938. The venue was also home to Marquette University's men's basketball team along with the International Hockey League Milwaukee Admirals. These teams all moved to the Bradley Center upon the newer arena's opening in 1988.

In 1994, the Wisconsin Center District (WCD), a state organization, was created in order to fund the Midwest Airlines Center, and, in 1995 the MECCA complex was folded into this, including the Arena (the Bradley Center is owned by a separate authority). Following a major overhaul in 1998, the arena is now home to the Milwaukee Panthers' men's college basketball team and the Milwaukee Wave of the Major Indoor Soccer League (including the 2006 MISL All-Star game) and is the Milwaukee venue for Disney on Ice. It has also hosted professional wrestling events, including WCW SuperBrawl II in 1992, WWF King of the Ring 1996, WCW Clash of the Champions in 1997, WWF Over the Edge in 1998 and WCW Mayhem in 2000. It was at the forementioned King Of The Ring card where "Stone Cold" Steve Austin first uttered his now-famous "Austin 3:16" catchphrase.

The WCD added the Wisconsin Athletic Walk of Fame alongside the U.S. Cellular Arena in 2001. At the end of this public promenade is a Wisconsin Historical Marker noting the location where Christopher Sholes invented the first practical typewriter, featuring the QWERTY keyboard layout.

As the MECCA, the building hosted the 1984 NCAA Mideast first and second round games. The U.S. Cellular Arena has hosted all or part of every Horizon League men's basketball conference tournament since 2003.

In 2008 it became home to the Milwaukee Bonecrushers of the Continental Indoor Football League. [1]

On August 7, 2010, the arena hosted an Arena Football League playoff game between the Milwaukee Mustangs and the Chicago Rush. The Iron played its 2010 regular season home games at the Bradley Center, but renovations to that venue forced the home playoff games to be played at the U.S. Celluar Arena, where the Milwaukee Mustangs would go on to win.

Concerts

References

  1. ^ Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2008. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved December 7, 2010.

See also

External links

Events and tenants
Preceded by
Wharton Field House
Home of the
Milwaukee Hawks

1951 – 1955
Succeeded by
Kiel Auditorium
Preceded by
first arena
Home of the
Milwaukee Bucks

1968 – 1988
Succeeded by
Bradley Center
Preceded by
The Spectrum
Host of the
NBA All-Star Game

1977
Succeeded by
Omni Coliseum