Bucks have one more suite to lease for $295,000 a year
“Lucky No. 13” is still available at the new Milwaukee Bucks arena, for a starting price of $295,000 a year.
It’s the last of the 34 suites available for lease at the $524 million facility and the Bucks are pulling out the stops on the sales pitch.
Hot prospects get the red carpet treatment from a parade of front office brass who pour on details about the arena, amenities and food service.
They might also get a chance to talk hoops with Steve Novak, the retired NBA player and Marquette University star who now works for the Bucks.
On the north end of the building, the suite sits just above the Bucks bench and has seats for 18, and ticketing available for up to 24.
The price: $295,000 a year for seven, 10 or 12 years. (The annual price depends on how long you lock in for.) The Bucks hope the suite will generate between $2.5 million and $4.2 million depending on the length of the lease signed.
Prospects settle into the plush leather seats and hear that the suite is more than a place to enjoy Bucks games. Suite owners get access for every event at the arena — not just Bucks games — and are encouraged to use the space on non-event days.
“You can have a meeting in here,” said Jed Justman, senior director of premium sales. “This can be an extension of your office, whenever you want, at no extra charge.”
Parking for up to five cars on the second or third level of the new skywalk-connected ramp is included.
“We know it’s important for suite owners and their guests to get in and out as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Justman said.
Other highlights:
The first two rows of seats are extended into the arena bowl, offering a close-up game experience instead of the walled-off sensation found in other arenas or stadiums.
Guests who want to be “a part of the action” will enjoy those spots, while others more interested in socializing have clear views from inside the suite.
Each suite comes with its own personal service representative who handles things such as special events and ticketing.
A “suite butler” will handle setup and coordinate food and beverage offerings, said Justin Green, vice president of hospitality for Levy, the Bucks’ concessions partner.
Food offerings can be staged in “courses,” which is a first for a professional sports arena, and will help with late-arriving guests.
That compares with conventional suite food that is delivered and that’s that, Green said.
The menu offered will be “hyper-local” and highlight Milwaukee and Wisconsin themes, he said.
Suites can be outfitted with “actions stations” where workers can cook speciality items or mix drinks.
Another offering: a “big, unbelievable dessert cart” that stands 12 feet, Green said.
All food and drink served in the suites is billed separately.
The arena was built with $250 million in public money, but the Bucks retain all revenue generated in return for a promise to pay for all maintenance and upkeep.
During a visit, Novak, who’s 6 feet 10 inches, settled comfortably into an aisle seat — plenty of legroom — and exuded confidence about the team’s future. Such concerns, he noted, are crucial to a suite customer who might be on the fence.