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It's a mystery why a sports bar located right across the street from the city's main sports arena just never seemed to work.

In business, they say the mantra is location, location location.

Apparently not when it comes to the Center Court Pub and Grille at 1118 N. 4th St.

I'm sure the owners leasing the property probably considered the location a prime spot due to the presence of the BMO Harris Bradley Center right across the street. Between home games for the Milwaukee Bucks, concerts and various special events like professional wrestling that are regular heavy crowd dates during the year, one would imagine the Center Court Pub could become a real institution.

It never happened.

Maybe the Center Court Pub owners should have talked to the people who owned Legends. Or GameTime. Those were the names of previous establishments that used to exist in the exact same spot.

Absent any financial records or inside information about management practices or food quality, it's hard to make a definitive statement why Center Court Pub – or any of the others – just never caught on with the public.

The sporting crowd in Downtown Milwaukee does have its traditional favorites like Major Goolsby's, and other new bars and clubs that have opened over the past five years or so.

More than ever before, you have lots of choices if you want a bite or a drink before or after the game.

But it's hard to believe anyplace would be more convenient than just walking across the street. And it's just as hard to believe a place that sold good drinks and beverages at a reasonable price wouldn't have a good chance to compete.

Again,  I bet that's what they all thought at first.

The latest problem for Center Court is $192,000 in back rent the owners want the City to forgive after terminating the lease. Some alderman object to the plan because it could set a bad precedent.

In the meantime, the vacant property will almost certainly attract the attention of the next big-dreamer who sees a great opportunity.

A sports bar, perhaps?