MECCA Arena
The downtown Milwaukee arena that was home to the Bucks from 1968 to 1988.
The UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena (originally the Milwaukee Arena and formerly MECCA Arena and U.S. Cellular Arena) is an indoor arena located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was formerly home to the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA from 1968 to 1988, and hosted the 1977 NBA All-Star Game. The arena, which seats as many as 12,700 people and offers 41,700 square feet of floor space, is part of a larger downtown campus that includes the Milwaukee Theatre and Wisconsin Center.
- Bucks Tenure
- 1968–1988
- Major Achievement
- Hosted 1977 NBA All-Star Game
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The arena opened in 1950 and was one of the first to accommodate the needs of broadcast television. It was folded into MECCA (The Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center and Arena) when the complex opened in 1974. It is also known for its former, uniquely painted basketball court by Robert Indiana in 1978, with large orange 'M's taking up both half-courts representing Milwaukee. The Indiana floor was purchased by a fan in the early 2010s and is currently in storage at a storage facility in Milwaukee. On October 26, 2017, the Bucks returned to the arena for a regular season game against the Boston Celtics in honor of their 50th anniversary in the NBA. For this event, the Bucks, by agreement with Robert Indiana, installed a newly built floor featuring a duplicate of his original MECCA court for that game only. After the game, the floor was temporarily moved to Menominee Nation Arena in Oshkosh, home to the Bucks' NBA G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.
In Their Own Story
The arena opened in 1950 and was one of the first to accommodate the needs of broadcast television. It was folded into MECCA when the complex opened in 1974. The venue was home to the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA from 1968 to 1988, and hosted the 1977 NBA All-Star Game. On October 26, 2017, the Bucks returned to the arena for a regular season game against the Boston Celtics in honor of their 50th anniversary in the NBA. For this event, the Bucks installed a newly built floor featuring a duplicate of Robert Indiana's original MECCA court for that game only.
Reader's Guide
The arena opened in 1950 and was one of the first to accommodate the needs of broadcast television. It was folded into MECCA when the complex opened in 1974. The venue was home to the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA from 1968 to 1988, and hosted the 1977 NBA All-Star Game. The arena is also known for its former, uniquely painted basketball court by Robert Indiana in 1978, with large orange 'M's taking up both half-courts representing Milwaukee. The Indiana floor was purchased by a fan in the early 2010s and is currently in storage at a storage facility in Milwaukee. On October 26, 2017, the Bucks returned to the arena for a regular season game against the Boston Celtics in honor of their 50th anniversary in the NBA. For this event, the Bucks installed a newly built floor featuring a duplicate of his original MECCA court for that game only. After the game, the floor was temporarily moved to Menominee Nation Arena in Oshkosh, home to the Bucks' NBA G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.
Did You Know?
- The arena hosted the 1977 NBA All-Star Game.
- The arena featured a uniquely painted basketball court by Robert Indiana in 1978, with large orange 'M's on both half-courts.
- The Indiana floor was purchased by a fan in the early 2010s and is currently in storage in Milwaukee.
- On October 26, 2017, the Bucks returned to the arena for a regular season game against the Boston Celtics in honor of their 50th anniversary in the NBA.
- For that 2017 game, the Bucks installed a newly built floor featuring a duplicate of Robert Indiana's original MECCA court.
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