BMO Harris Bradley Center officials sat on the court floor at a press conference Tuesday morning as a screen projected a video montage of sports and entertainment legends– Mick Jagger, Cher, Prince, Dwyane Wade, Michael Jordan and others– that had played or performed at the center since it opened 29 years ago.
Also featured in the video was Jane Bradley Pettit, the late Milwaukee philanthropist who donated $90 million to build the arena in 1988.
“This season will honor Mrs. Pettit and her one of a kind gift that continues to serve the community and will have an impact on generations to come,” Steve Costello, BMO Harris Bradley Center president and CEO said to open the program.
To launch its 30th and final season, Costello announced the arena will host entertainment acts including Cirque du Soleil, Katy Perry, Guns N’ Roses, Lourde and Disney on Ice.
The arena’s main programming, Marquette men’s basketball and the Milwaukee Bucks are set to open their seasons on Nov. 10 and Oct. 20. Marquette will play 18 home games and the Bucks will play 40 regular season home games at the arena (the Bucks will play one home game at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena).
The Bradley Center will also host a series of public open houses starting Oct. 7, when community members can tour the facility’s locker rooms, food service areas, suites, and building and scoreboard control areas.
Board chair Ted Kellner announced a season-long fundraising campaign that will raise a goal of $200,000 to give to 16 local charities that Pettit supported. Three of the charities include Sojourner Family Peace Center, Hunger Task Force and Next Door Foundation.
“We hear a lot of what’s wrong with Milwaukee and Jane (Pettit), in my opinion, represented everything that is right with Milwaukee,” Carmen Pitre, president and CEO of Sojourner Family Peace Center said. “I can’t think of a better way to honor her life and what she did for the community.”
The campaign has already raised over $40,000 and will end with a gala on April 11 at the arena. Ticket information for the gala and the campaign’s other beneficiaries will be announced in the coming weeks.
County Executive Chris Abele and Milwaukee Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton were among the panel speakers today who shared their personal memories from the Bradley Center and discussed its impact on the Milwaukee community.
Sarah Zimmerman, a member of the board and Pettit’s granddaughter, closed the program with remarks about Pettit’s life and legacy.
“I am pleased that we are joined today by nonprofit leaders who share my grandmother’s vision of a thriving Milwaukee and work everyday to achieve that vision,” she said.”Our family is grateful to Steve Costello and the rest of the BMO Harris Bradley Center team who have, for 30 years, always kept the center’s mission to serve the community at the forefront of the work.”
