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Lawmakers Grill Bucks President At Arena Hearing

Feigin Says Ground Must Be Broken In 2015 To Keep Team In Milwaukee

By
Shawn Johnson/WPR

Milwaukee Bucks President Peter Feigin encountered some skeptical state lawmakers Monday as he testified that the NBA would move the team unless the Bucks break ground on a new arena this year.

After Feigin gave his deadline to the Legislature’s budget committee, Middleton Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach pressed him for more details.

“So if it’s December 31 and we pass a piece of legislation on December 23 allowing you guys to go ahead and break ground, is that OK for the NBA?” Erpenbach asked.

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“No, I think that actually puts us probably six to eight months behind,” Feigin said.

Feigin said the timeline was spelled out in a purchasing agreement with the NBA. Hudson Republican Rep. Dean Knudson asked, “So would you be willing to release to the public that portion of the purchase agreement?”

Feigin responded: “It’s just not my call to release that. That would have to be up to the commissioner of the NBA.”

Knudson said Feigin should work with the NBA to release that document if it wanted the Legislature’s help.