Here we go again. Milwaukee has another stadium controversy.
The Bradley Center board over the weekend basically told Tim Krause and his investors group to take their plans for a soccer stadium elsewhere.
Board members are concerned that a 20,000 stadium that would host Major League Soccer north of the BC would hem that facility in, and crimp plans for expansion.
Krause, meanwhile, said his group prefers that location and at this time really does not have a backup site in mind. He basically implied that his group has been jacked around, with some community leaders saying he should move his stadium west and others east.
The plan was likely DOA because of two things: 1) the preference of the site north of the BC and 2) additional plans that favored hiring a national sports management company, perhaps Clear Channel, to manage the soccer stadium and BC.
I'm on record favoring the stadium. I think it could be a good addition to the Milwaukee sports scene and is a better fit for downtown than Miller Park was.
But, I do understand the BC board members' concerns. The BC is essential to the Bucks, Admirals and other entertainment.
Krause and his investors should move their proposed stadium to a Water Street site and drop the proposal for an outside management company. The BC board wants to maintain local control over that facility. They will never accept an outside company that would be looking primarily at profit and perhaps not in touch with the community.
I urge all the groups involved to be flexible. The soccer stadium is a good idea, which should not die. But it won't fly at the current proposed location, or with an outside manager that also includes the Bradley Center.
Bucks Camp
Monday is media day for the Bucks. Yours truly will be there and have some interviews in the next Milwaukee Sports Buzz column.
The Bucks start camp officially on Tuesday. They hope to strengthen their team before the regular season starts, perhaps by adding bruiser Anthony Mason.
You can feel the buzz about the Bucks already, after they made it to the NBA final four in the playoffs last season. You can follow that buzz in this column throughout the season.
Football Security
I didn't really hear any complaints about the security at Lambeau Field for last Monday night's game between the Packers and Redskins, or the Badgers' game at Camp Randall last Saturday.
Guards checked trunks of cars at Lambeau and fans' bags at the gate. Some larger bags were banned.
Fans also were closely checked at Camp Randall, but nobody got uptight. These are the realities of going to a big event under the circumstances since Sept.11.
Some fans said they actually felt more secure because of the security checks. The cooperation was good to see.
Gregg Hoffmann writes The Milwaukee Sports Buzz on Mondays on OMC.
