Wisconsin Center District Board Chair Franklyn Gimbel said that it is "unlikely the Bucks will try to acquire" the Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Arena in order to build a new NBA venue there. In Milwaukee, Don Walker cited sources as saying that the site "now under consideration is the mostly vacant land just north of the BMO Harris Bradley Center." Bradley Center Sports & Entertainment "owns much of that land" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 12/18). In Milwaukee, Rich Kirchen reported former Bucks Owner Herb Kohl "has selected the Greater Milwaukee Foundation" to manage his $100M donation toward a new arena (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/17).
TWINS FOR A DAY: In Florida, David Dorsey noted officials from Lee County, Populous, Manhattan Construction and the Twins on Wednesday "gave the media a guided tour of the construction zone" at the newly renovated Hammond Stadium. Populous Senior Principal Bruce Miller said of the $42.5M in renovations for the Spring Training facility, which opened in '91, "We've dramatically increased, by five and a half times, the amount of public space. The concourses before were crowded and cramped. Now people can spread out and enjoy the game. ... And now there's a 360 degree concourse." There also "will be a new, two-story gift shop" (Ft. Myers NEWS-PRESS, 12/18).
COLUMBUS' DAY? In Columbus, Kurtzman & Zachariah report Mayor Michael Coleman, City Council President Andrew Ginther and Franklin County Commissioner John O’Grady last Sunday "showed up at First Energy Stadium in Cleveland to make a pitch for Columbus to become home" to the Browns' new training camp. The Columbus group "offered financial incentives of an undisclosed amount." Sources said that the group "left the Sunday meeting thinking it was 'a matter of when, not if' the team announces its relocation to Columbus" for camp (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 12/19).
BROOKLYN BRIDGE: ESPN.com's Dan Rafael reported boxer Wladimir Klitschko will fight at Barclays Center "in what will be the first heavyweight championship bout at the 2-year-old arena, which has already hosted more than a dozen fight cards." Klitschko's manager, Bernd Boente, "had also been in talks" with MSG, where his fights "usually take place." But now that Golden Boy Promotions is no longer exclusively holding its fights at Barclays Center, Boente said that he and Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark "made a deal" (ESPN.com, 12/17).
