Home of the Milwaukee Bucks renamed BMO Harris Bradley Center

MILWAUKEE -- The Bradley Center has a new name thanks to a new sponsorship agreement. It's now the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The Bradley Center, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and BMO Harris Bank made the announcement Monday.

Through the "Champions of the Community" fundraising effort, 25 corporations in the Milwaukee area will be spending $18 million over the next six years. That money will be used to extend the life of the 24-year-old building and enhance the fan experience. The overall goal is to keep the building viable in order to figure out how a new facility can be built.

BMO Harris is the primary sponsor in the partnership. But other sponsors include Harley-Davidson, Kohls, Northwestern Mutual, and Rockwell Automation.

Officials have said the nearly 25-year-old Bradley Center is in bad shape. It's one of the oldest and smallest facilities in the NBA and needs to be replaced.

On Monday, Sen. Kohl said this new partnership is evidence there's interest in keeping the Bucks in town.

"We wouldn't be here without BMO Harris and the 'Champions of the Community' who have made this day possible. It is critical that we come up with the where-with-all to extend the life of this great facility as a bridge to the future. That's what this occasion celebrates, the past, the present and the future of Milwaukee," Kohl said.

Across the street from the new BMO Harris Bradley Center, Brian James, co-owner of Center Court Pub and Grille, says the new sponsorship agreement is helping him breathe a little easier.

"What it does is it helps the Bradley Center, and it also helps everybody surrounding the Bradley Center, so it's a win-win," James said.

The BMO Harris Bradley Center is home to the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Admirals and Marquette Golden Eagles.

The Bradley Center first opened in 1988, making it one of the oldest and smallest facilities in the NBA. Local leaders have expressed their interest in getting a new arena that would keep the Bucks in Milwaukee for the long run.

The Bradley Center generates more than $200 million in gross economic impact, and supports more than 2,300 jobs, according to the MMAC.

Related stories: