Mortenson Construction "has won" the construction management contract for the new $500M Bucks arena project, according to Rich Kirchen of the MILWAUKEE BUSINESS JOURNAL. Mortenson "was believed to be one of at least three national contractors with arena-building expertise that were finalists for the job." Mortenson "has completed more than 160 sports and entertainment projects in the U.S." The company is also "constructing downtown Minneapolis' U.S. Bank Stadium" for the Vikings and SunTrust Park for the Braves. It will also build the $1B Chase Center for the Warriors in S.F. Construction on the Bucks arena "is expected to begin by July and will last two years or more with a goal of completion by fall" '18 (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/19).
MIXED REVIEWS: In Milwaukee, Mary Louise Schumacher noted last week's release of the arena renderings by Populous "marked the culmination of months of intense, behind-closed-doors negotiations between the architects, the Bucks and city officials." It also "inserted Milwaukee into a global dialogue about what sports architecture should look like." Balancing "great design and the highly technical aspects of sports structures," -- from massive ballparks to sprawling soccer stadiums to multi-use arenas -- is what Populous "wants to be known for." It has designed 15 NBA or NHL arenas and "is the only firm in the world to have designed three Olympic main stadiums." The response to the Milwaukee designs thus far "has been mixed, with lots of crazy responses to the sweeping roof form and rust-hued zinc cladding" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 3/19).
