FPC Live drops plan for Milwaukee music venue near Summerfest grounds

In a serious setback, a proposed music venue will not be constructed subsequent to Maier Competition Park in Milwaukee’s Third Ward.

In joint statements issued Friday, live performance promoter FPC Reside — the Madison-based division of Reside Nation-backed Frank Productions — and Milwaukee World Competition Inc., the mother or father firm to Summerfest that owns the land the place the venue was to be constructed, stated the venture as introduced will not proceed.

“The events have decided for a number of causes, to not pursue the location adjoining to Henry Maier Competition Park for this proposed venue,” Milwaukee World Competition officers stated in an announcement. “MWF will proceed to concentrate on its core enterprise of manufacturing Summerfest offered by American Household Insurance coverage, in addition to offering our neighborhood with a full summer time calendar of ethnic and cultural festivals together with particular occasions. This additionally consists of an ongoing partnership with FPC to co-promote live shows on the American Household Insurance coverage Amphitheater and BMO Harris Pavilion.”

“After an intensive course of, we’ve decided that the location accessible close to Henry Maier Competition Park is not into consideration for our proposed two-venue improvement in Milwaukee,” Charlie Goldstone, president of FPC Reside, stated in an announcement. “We stay dedicated to creating this state-of-the-art venture in Milwaukee, making ready the town for the subsequent a number of many years of stay leisure, and we’ll announce extra particulars in due time. We stay devoted to the Milwaukee stay music panorama, we’re thrilled with our persevering with partnership with MWF, and look ahead to selling live shows on the lakefront and all through Milwaukee for years to return.”

Within the joint assertion, MWF and FPC Reside stated they’d not present every other info.

The proposed $40 million-plus venture — a 108,000-square-foot website with a 4,000-capacity room and an 800-capacity room — was introduced in December, with plans to start development this yr. No formal approvals had been issued because the announcement, however final month, Frank Productions CEO Joel Plant prompt in a Journal Sentinel interview a 2023 opening was nonetheless attainable. 

Per the association with MWF and zoning circumstances for the location, FPC Reside appeared prefer it would be capable of construct the venue with out enter from the Milwaukee Widespread Council, except for acquiring required leisure and liquor licenses.

However the venture drew some harsh opposition from residents in close by condos, and in addition from different native music venue operators, and a marketing campaign was launched, Save The Third Ward, to attempt to cease the venture.

It is a creating story.

Contact Piet at (414) 223-5162 or plevy@journalsentinel.com. Observe him on Twitter at @pietlevy or Fb at fb.com/PietLevyMJS.