LOCAL NEWS

Fiserv Forum grand opening gives Milwaukee Bucks fans a chance to see what the buzz is all about

James B. Nelson

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Darren Crawford held his phone up, snapped a selfie in the Fiserv Forum lower bowl Sunday and declared his verdict about the new home of the Milwaukee Bucks:

"I'm digging it," he said with a broad grin. "It's more spacious than the Bradley Center. More comfortable."

That's music to the ears of Brad Clark, who was standing nearby. He led the team for arena architect Populous.

"They want to go exploring," Clark said as he watched hundreds of people move through the $524 million arena for the first time. "Each one of them is doing a little reconnaissance mission."

Tens of thousands attended the Fiserv Forum grand opening, an event that began with nearly an hour of speeches by a dozen team and political leaders. With temperatures in the 80s and heat setting in, the Bucks wisely opened the doors about 12:45 p.m., before the ribbon was cut.

Comments from Fiserv CEO Jeff Yabuki were briefly interrupted by calls from the crowd for medical attention for someone who was apparently overcome by the heat. No serious incidents were reported or observed.

"It was hot up there. Too hot," Bucks legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said after the event.

Abdul-Jabaar, the NBA's all-time leading scorer and leader of the Bucks 1971 championship team, joined present and former players on stage and received a loud ovation when he was introduced.

Speakers lauded former Bucks owner Herb Kohl, who sold the team in 2014 to New York billionaires Wes Edens and Marc Lasry with the stipulation that the Bucks remain in Milwaukee.

"We proudly accepted the responsibility and the obligations that he asked us to do," Edens said.

Lasry added: "We are really proud to be following Senator Kohl as being the stewards for this franchise. He's been a great champion for the city of Milwaukee."

Kohl joined the new owners and contributed $100 million toward the cost of the new arena. Another $250 million came from taxpayers. Construction was completed two years and two months after groundbreaking.

On Sunday, the Bucks formally unveiled the name of the plaza in the east side of the arena's main entrance as Herb Kohl Way.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver noted that there's a "double meaning" behind the name.

"There's also the 'Herb Kohl way' of doing business," Silver said, using terms such as "honor" and "respect" and "doing things in a dignified manner."

Kohl earned cheers and standing ovations.

"I have dedicated a big part of my life to see this day arrive," he told the crowd.

Kohl said he wanted to make certain that "Milwaukee remained an NBA city. That's why I made my own financial commitment to build this beautiful new arena."

Mayor Tom Barrett summed up the thoughts of many speakers when it came to Kohl's role.

"We owe him a debt of appreciation that we will never be able to repay."

The Bucks said that 64,639 people downloaded tickets to the afternoon-long free event, which included self-guided public tours.

The initial lines were long as the Bucks tried to keep the arena from becoming overstuffed with people.

The new Milwaukee Bucks Fiserv Forum as seen by a drone.

"I'm not sure you can plan for how to get 60,000 people into a building that holds 17,000," architect Clark said.

Once inside, visitors were greeted by friendly staff who led informal tours and slapped high fives. Concession lines moved along and hundreds of fans settled into seats in the bowl and enjoyed some lunch.

Among them was Jeff Jozefczyk who was enjoying the afternoon with his sons, Adam, 19, and Shawn, 25.

He predicted that the intimate seating bowl would give the Bucks a great home court advantage.

"I have a feeling that the loudness is going to be amped up — much more so than in the old arena," Jozefczyk said.

The Panorama Club, the rafters-high vantage point available for all fans, was a popular destination. Lines formed for people to hike the stairs or take the elevator to the area, which will also be used for special events.

"It's impressive," said Solomon Johnson of Milwaukee as he looked down from the club into the seating bowl. "Really great."

Asked what he liked best, Johnson chuckled and said "the air conditioning."

The Bucks say season ticket sales have been strong. On Sunday, lines were 10 deep at the box office for special $25 tickets for some of the many concerts that the Bucks have booked at the arena.

The Killers and Violent Femmes will perform Sept. 4, the first Fiserv Forum concert. The Bucks home opener is Oct. 19 against the Indiana Pacers.

Abdul-Jabbar said the grand opening marked the start of a new era for NBA basketball in Milwaukee.

"I don't think it's ever been this exciting," he said.

Fiserv Forum is "very well thought out," Abdul-Jabbar said. "There's nothing lacking here."