Wisconsin Approves $250 Million in Public Subsidies for a New Bucks Arena

Breathe easy, Milwaukee Bucks fans: it looks like your basketball team isn’t going anywhere just yet.

Wisconsin state senators have agreed to a bipartisan deal that will allocate a quarter of a billion dollars to the franchise in public subsidies to build a gleaming new gym.

Must be nice.

If you add up the accrued interest over the next two decades, the agreement (which is headed for an Assembly vote) will cost Wisconites some $400 million.

Per the Journal Sentinel:

“This deal has taken a lot of work, but the Bucks are big bucks for Wisconsin,” said Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee), who voted for the plan. “It’s not been easy. It’s not been pretty. But finally, we’ve all been at the table.” […] Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau), who worked for months on the deal, said lawmakers outside southeastern Wisconsin helped make the difference by taking the political risk to support it. He acknowledged they could see the issue raised when they run for re-election.

 

Bucks President Peter Feigin said he was “overjoyed” with the Senate vote but that backers still needed to get the deal through the Assembly and Milwaukee Common Council. […] “This is the first major step,” he said.

 

“We expect success,” team co-owner Wes Edens said. “It’s something where there have been lots of opinions about it. But I think it’s such a good deal for the state; it’s good for the city and good for us. It’s a good partnership. I’m rooting for the best outcome.”