Located in downtown Milwaukee, the Bradley Center first opened its doors in the fall of 1988 for an exhibition hockey game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers.  At a total cost of approximately $90 million, this indoor arena is a mainstay of Milwaukee's downtown landscape. It took two years to complete the construction of the Bradley Center. Without the generous donation from local philanthropist Jane Bradley Pettit in memory of her father, Harry Lynde Bradley of the Allen-Bradley fortune, the Bradley Center would never have come to be. Obviously, it is through this donation that Bradley Center obtained its name.

The Bradley Center plays host to three sports teams: the Milwaukee Bucks, the Milwaukee Admirals and the Marquette University Golden Eagles men's basketball team. On November 5, 1988 the Bradley Center hosted its first NBA game with the Milwaukee Bucks taking on the Los Angeles Clippers.  Unfortunately, the sold out crowd of 16,633 saw the Bucks fall to the Clippers.  The Bradley Center can accommodate 18,600 attendees for basketball, a slightly smaller crowd for hockey and up to 20,000 for concerts.  If you are seeing a major concert in Milwaukee, odds are you will be going to the Bradley Center. Almost two decades after opening, the Bradley Center continues to draw the big names in entertainment. Most recently this includes, Hannah Montana, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Billy Joel, who all had concert dates at the Bradley Center in 2008.

There are few days during the year when there isn't an event at the Bradley Center. With sporting events, ice shows, concerts, community events and speakers all booking dates at the venue, the city of Milwaukee would be lost without the Bradley Center.  As far as big time sporting events go, the Bradley Center has hosted many NCAA tournament games as well as the Frozen Four College Hockey Championship in 1993, 1997 and in 2006.

The Bradley Center right now is making headlines as the administrative office is welcoming bids for naming rights to the Center.  Without the Bradley's, Milwaukee wouldn't have had the venue, but in order to keep it, more funding may be necessary.  In the coming year, we may see the Harley Davidson Center or Miller Center, vs going to the Bradley Center to check out the Milwaukee Bucks.

Bradley Center Address:

Bradley Center
1001 N. 4th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53203