"Lot of hurdles" as Bucks look for way to pay for new arena

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Two days after the announcement of the new owners of the Milwaukee Bucks, these questions linger: How will the Bucks pay for a new arena and who will provide the money?

"It's going to be a struggle, there's no doubt about it," said Mark Kass, editor of Milwaukee Business Journal.

Kass says when it comes to replacing the BMO Harris Bradley Center, there's little desire outside of Milwaukee to provide public funding, either through a new tax or expanding an existing one.

"Any elected official right now is scared of that work. They don't want to be anywhere near it and there doesn't seem to be any public support of it," said Kass.

While the new Bucks owners and former Sen. Herb Kohl have pledged $100 million, it will still take at least $200 million more to build a new arena.

"If you have a facility that helps all the region, shouldn't everyone contribute to it? Not just the city of Milwaukee and not just the resident of this city," said Common Council President Michael Murphy.

While Milwaukee officials support a regional approach, outlying communities reject the idea. The chairman of the Waukesha County Board said in a statement that the board sent a clear message to our State Legislatures by unanimously supporting a resolution against a regional tax for a new Bucks area.

The county boards in Rance and Ozaukee Counties have passed similar, pre-emptive resolutions.

If nothing else, Kass says having the new owners pledge makes a new arena a little easier to imagine.

"If you asked me that question a week ago, I would've said it's really going to be difficult. I think the odds are better but there's still a whole lot of hurdles left," said Kass.

On Friday afternoon, April 18th the chairman of the Ozaukee County Board told FOX6 News he's seen little that would change the board's position of being opposed to either a new regional sales tax, or an expansion of the five-county Miller Park tax.