Oshkosh Arena
{{short description|Small arena in Oshkosh, Wisconsin}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Oshkosh Arena
| nickname =
| fullname =
| former names =
- Menominee Nation Arena (2017-2021)
| logo_image = File:Oshkosh_Arena.jpg
| logo_caption =
| image = 300px
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption = December 2017
| pushpin_map = USA Wisconsin#USA
| pushpin_mapsize = 200
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Wisconsin, United States
| pushpin_label_position = right
| address =
| location = 1212 South Main Street
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States
| coordinates = {{coord|44|00|27|N|88|32|15|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| type = Multi-purpose arena
| genre = Music, concerts, and sporting events
| broke_ground = March 29, 2017
| built = 2017
| opened = {{Start date|2017|12|01}}
| owner = Fox Valley Pro Basketball
| operator =
| surface =
| scoreboard = Yes
| cost = $15 million{{cite web|url=http://fox11online.com/news/local/fox-cities/oshkosh-common-council-approves-bucks-d-league-arena-plans |title=Oshkosh Common Council approves Bucks D-League arena plans | WLUK |publisher=Fox11online.com |date=2017-01-24 |accessdate=2017-07-13}}
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|15000000|2016}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect =
| builder =
| project_manager =
| structural engineer =
| services engineer =
| general_contractor = Bayland Buildings
| main_contractors =
| seating_type =
| capacity = 3,500
| suites =
| record_attendance =
| tenants = Wisconsin Herd (NBAGL) (2017–present)
Wisconsin Glo (GWBA) (2019–present)
| website = {{URL|https://oshkosharena.com/}}
| publictransit =
}}
The Oshkosh Arena, formerly the Menominee Nation Arena,{{cite news |last1=Macek |first1=Katy |title=Menominee Nation Arena no more: Oshkosh Arena announces official — but still temporary — name change |url=https://www.thenorthwestern.com/story/money/2021/09/02/menominee-nation-arena-home-wisconsin-herd-now-oshkosh-arena/5683636001/ |access-date=September 2, 2021 |work=The Oshkosh Northwestern}} is a {{convert|64300|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} indoor arena located in Oshkosh, in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The facility is primarily used for basketball, but has also hosted a handful of conventions and concerts. It serves as the home of the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League, which is affiliated with the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association.{{cite web|url=http://dleague.nba.com/news/milwaukee-bucks-purchase-nba-development-league-team/ |title=Milwaukee Bucks Purchase NBA Development League Team - NBA G League |publisher=Dleague.nba.com |date= |accessdate=2017-07-13}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/bucks/release/milwaukee-bucks-purchase-nba-development-league-team-begin-play-oshkosh-2017-18-season |title=Milwaukee Bucks Purchase NBA Development League Team to Begin Play in Oshkosh for the 2017-18 Season | Milwaukee Bucks |publisher=Nba.com |date=2014-05-15 |accessdate=2017-07-13}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/bucks/dleague/ |title=Wisconsin Herd |publisher=Nba.com |date= |accessdate=2017-07-13}} The first event to be held at the arena, a Wisconsin Herd game, was on December 1, 2017.{{cite web|last1=Blair|first1=Nolan|title=Wisconsin Herd play first game in Menominee Nation Arena|url=http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Wisconsin-Herd--461415413.html|accessdate=3 December 2017|language=en}}
Location and design
The arena is located along the east side of South Main Street, on the former site of the Buckstaff Furniture Company. With a seating capacity of 3,500 spectators, the new arena broke ground on March 29, 2017,{{cite web|url=http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Groundbreaking-today-for-Bucks-D-League-arena-in-Oshkosh-417440083.html|title=Groundbreaking for Bucks D-League arena in Oshkosh|publisher=Wbay.com|date=March 29, 2017|accessdate=August 1, 2017}} with completion slated for late November.
File:Oshkosh Arena dismantlement of Buckstaff Furniture Building Feb 2017.jpg
History
On January 25, 2017, the Oshkosh City Council unanimously approved the construction of the $15 million facility. The cost of the construction was privately funded, with the arena being part of a larger development plan for a new housing and commercial area called the Sawdust District, located near Pioneer Drive Park along the shores of Lake Winnebago.{{cite web|url=http://arenadigest.com/2017/01/25/oshkosh-approves-d-league-arena-deal/|title=Oshkosh Approves D-League Arena Deal|publisher=ArenaDigest.com|date=January 25, 2017|accessdate=August 1, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://fox11online.com/news/local/fox-cities/plans-submitted-for-oshkosh-basketball-arena|title=Plans submitted for Oshkosh basketball arena|publisher=Fox11Online.com|date=December 26, 2016|accessdate=August 1, 2017}} On June 13, 2017, the Oshkosh City Council announced that the arena was to receive an additional $250,000 in state-supported funding for improvement of the nearby roadways and infrastructures to improve transit to the facility.{{cite web|url=http://www.fdlreporter.com/story/money/2017/06/12/wedc-awards-oshkosh-250-000-grant-roadwork-near-new-arena/390114001/|title=WEDC awards Oshkosh $250,000 grant for roadwork near new arena|publisher=FDLReporter.com|date=June 12, 2017|accessdate=August 1, 2017}}
On October 23, 2017, the Menominee Native American tribe announced that they had purchased the naming rights to the arena, giving it the Menominee Nation Arena name. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.{{Cite news |url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2017/10/23/menominee-tribe-buys-naming-rights-wisconsin-herd-arena-oshkosh/783400001/ |title=Menominee tribe buys naming rights for Wisconsin Herd arena in Oshkosh |last=Nelson |first=James B. |date=October 23, 2017 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |access-date=October 23, 2017}}
The owner and operator of the arena, Fox Valley Pro Basketball, Inc. filed bankruptcy on August 19, 2019. According to Jeff Bollier of Gannett News multiple lawsuits have been filed against the owners.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenorthwestern.com/story/news/2019/08/19/menominee-nation-arena-files-chapter-11-bankruptcy-protection/2055091001/ |title=Menominee Nation Arena files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid lawsuits|last=|first=|date= |website=www.thenorthwestern.com|access-date=August 22, 2019}} In March 2021 it was announced that the Menominee Tribe were ending their contract for the naming rights as part of their business restructuring due to COVID-19.{{cite news |last1=Shuda |first1=Nathaniel |title=Menominee Nation Arena to get a new name amid COVID-19 setbacks |url=https://www.thenorthwestern.com/story/money/2021/03/09/oshkoshs-menominee-nation-arena-get-new-name-amid-covid-19-setbacks/4643196001/ |access-date=August 21, 2021 |work=The Oshkosh Northwestern}} As of August 19, 2021, the arena began to remove the Menominee Nation name from the Arena.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Menominee Nation Arena}}
- [https://oshkosharena.com/ Official Site]
{{D-League Arenas}}
Category:Indoor arenas in Wisconsin
Category:Sports venues in Wisconsin
Category:2017 establishments in Wisconsin
Category:Basketball venues in Wisconsin