Milwaukee, WI
What to know about UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, one of the RNC venues
See inside Fiserv Forum as preparations take place for the RNC
Take a look inside Fiserv Forum as the stage is set and preparations take place for the Republican National Convention July 15 through July 18
UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, one of the city’s oldest sports complexes, will play a critical role in the Republican National Convention this month.
The arena is one of three main venues for the four-day event, alongside Fiserv Forum and Baird Center. All three are part of convention security’s “hard zone,” meaning the area will be controlled by the Secret Service and require credentials to enter.
But Panther Arena is no stranger to major events, including presidential speeches. Here’s everything you need to know about the venue ahead of the RNC.
Where is the Panther Arena?
The arena is in downtown Milwaukee, at 400 W. Kilbourn Ave.
Has Panther Arena hosted political events before?
Though former president Donald Trump will likely deliver his convention speech from Fiserv Forum, the Republican presidential candidate has actually spoken at Panther Arena previously.
In January 2020, Trump hosted a campaign rally at the arena as part of his re-election bid. His remarks at the time largely focused on national security.
On top of thousands attending the rally, Trump’s speech also drew a few hundred anti-Trump protestors outside the venue. Ahead of the event, Trump’s visit sparked campus controversy at UWM, given the arena bears the university’s name. The school’s chancellor eventually issued a statement clarifying that UWM neither owns nor controls booking decisions at the Panther Arena, beyond its own events.
How old is Panther Arena?
Panther Arena is Milwaukee’s original sports and entertainment complex, according to the arena website.
Built in 1950, it was initially named Milwaukee Arena. It became the Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center and Arena in 1974 and the U.S. Cellular Arena in 2000. The arena got its current name in 2014, when UW-Milwaukee bought the naming rights for the venue.
Alongside 8,910 permanent seats, the arena has a total capacity of 12,700 people — about two thirds of the size of Fiserv Forum, which has a total of 17,500.
Which teams play at Panther Arena?
The Panther arena is currently home to basketball, hockey and soccer teams: the Panthers, the UWM men’s basketball team; the Milwaukee Admirals, the city’s National Hockey League team; and the Milwaukee Wave, the Major Arena Soccer League team.
But the arena’s history in professional sports goes far beyond these three teams, according to its website. It has also hosted international sporting contests, including a 1998 Davis Cup semifinals match, part of the international men’s tennis tournament, and a Golden Gloves Boxing match versus Russia in 1996.
Closer to home, it hosted the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships in 2003.
What are concerts like at Panther Arena?
According to its website, the arena was “born in the era of rock ‘n’ roll” — and celebrated it hard.
The venue has hosted stars including Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Green Day, the Beastie Boys and Run DMC, among others. Iconic singers, like Frank Sinatra and Neil Diamond, have also played the venue.
Panther Arena still regularly hosts live music events, from the Milwaukee Public Schools music program’s annual festival to R&B artists KEM and Ledisi earlier this year.
MILWAUKEE – The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Milwaukee and all of southeastern Wisconsin from noon Tuesday through 8 p.m. Wednesday, with heat index values expected to reach the upper 90s to around 100 degrees.
While the advisory is expected to end Wednesday evening, hot and humid conditions are forecast to continue through the remainder of the week.
Forecast conditions can change, so everyone is encouraged to monitor local forecasts and follow guidance from the National Weather Service.
Milwaukee County cooling sites
What we know:
Cooling sites are available throughout Milwaukee County.
For an updated list of cooling locations, heat safety information, and resources on preventing heat-related illness, visit the City of Milwaukee website or call 211.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
Staying safe during extreme heat
What you can do:
Stay cool
- Limit outdoor activities, especially during the hottest part of the day.
- Spend time in air-conditioned buildings whenever possible such as libraries, shopping centers, or community centers.
- If you have an air conditioner, make sure it is installed and working properly.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
- Take cool showers or baths, or use cool, wet towels to lower body temperature.
- Fans may provide comfort but should not be relied upon as the primary cooling method during extreme heat.
Stay hydrated
- Drink water regularly, even if you do not feel thirsty.
- Avoid alcohol and excessive caffeine, which can contribute to dehydration.
- Encourage children, older adults, and others at higher risk to drink fluids throughout the day.
Protect yourself and others
- Never leave children, older adults, or pets unattended in vehicles. Temperatures inside a parked vehicle can become deadly within minutes.
- Check on older neighbors, family members, and others who may need assistance staying cool.
- Many public cooling sites are located along Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) routes. Visit RideMCTS.com for transit information.
Know the Signs of Heat-Related Illness
Heat exhaustion may include:
- Heavy sweating
- Weakness or fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Fainting
Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Symptoms may include:
- High body temperature
- Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating
- Confusion
- Rapid pulse
- Loss of consciousness
Call 911 immediately if someone is experiencing signs of heat stroke.
For additional hot weather safety information, visit the City of Milwaukee website.
The Source: City of Milwaukee Health Department sent FOX6 the information.
Milwaukee, WI
Squire Robinson leads a new generation of Milwaukee artists with his distinctly bold style
In a cavernous attic studio stands Squire Robinson.
Next to him on the ground is an unfinished painting of his. Hung above him are numerous paintings that he’s finished in the past year.
The walls are filled with works of art, crafted by the various artists who also call 100% MKE, a nonprofit arts studio and workspace at 217 N. Broadway, home.
Robinson’s art doesn’t just stand among them – it stands out.
Maybe it’s the saturated reds that prevail in each of his pieces.
Maybe it’s the bold strokes that create the even bolder figures that call his paintings home.
Either way, Robinson’s art has a tangible effect for those with the eyes to see.
“Sometimes the most important piece of art is that you feel. His art makes you feel,” Richard Badger Jr. said. Badger, who goes by the artist name Coyote Rich, is also an artist in residence at 100% MKE.
Robinson first fell in love with art through his grandfather, who painted signs for corner stores. Early memories of drawing contests with his grandfather enchanted Squire into the art world.
Later, Robinson drew comics and superhero characters, foreshadowing the powerful figures he paints today.
“My style has always been there, it’s just evolution, it grows and changes,” Robinson said.
Robinson, a 2024 graduate of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, has always had a certain fascination with Renaissance-era paintings.
Yet despite his appreciation of the style, something was missing.
“I appreciated the technique and skill, but I just couldn’t really relate to it,” Robinson said.
For him, the lack of diversity made the style feel distant.
Black culture in art
Now, Robinson’s style flows through the powerful Black people he paints.
“I took some of that flavor and remixed it to something that is more me,” Robinson said. “My inspiration comes from Black culture, music and my dreams.”
Robinson’s own personality is vehemently present in each of his pieces.
“His art has a very strong personality behind it,” said Nelle Speerschneider, a co-founding board member of 100% MKE.
By the end of a lengthy creative process, Robinson’s pieces are saturated with color and shapes that make viewers stop and stare. For Robinson, that’s the goal.
“To me, good art is when you can just stare at it and sit with it and think,” Robinson said. “If you see my work and walk right past it, then I didn’t do something right.”
Music and the flow state
Robinson said when he is met with a blank canvas, he doesn’t begin with a person or a setting; he starts with the mood. Then, with the help of music, he lets his art flow.
“I don’t try to contain the style, it’s just all me,” Robinson said.
Music is a big deal for Robinson. So much so that he can’t paint without it. Robinson’s taste in music, from classical and jazz to his love for Kendrick Lamar, seeps into his art.
“Squire’s art makes me feel like music,” Badger said.
Robinson said music helps him loosen up and get out of a funk.
“It helps me escape and enter that flow state,” Robinson said.
He said music supports his ethereal creative process.
“Sometimes when I paint, I feel like I’m being guided by something higher than me,” Robinson said.
Milwaukee made
As a young figure in the Milwaukee art scene, Robinson wears the city on his sleeve.
“Growing up in Milwaukee made me hard in the sense of staying true to myself,” Robinson said.
At 100% MKE, Robinson offers a unique voice. “It’s nice to have his youthful and urban take in the studio,” Speerschneider said.
Badger said young artists like Robinson are vital for pushing the scene forward.
“They’re the driving force of what Milwaukee looks and feels like,” he said.
Future goals
Going forward, Robinson wants to become an art therapist, someone who uses the medium of art to process emotional challenges.
“Art has always been a way to self-express and get my own feelings out,” Robinson said. “That’s why the tone of my paintings matters the most, because those feelings are what I’m trying to evoke.”
As for his art career, Robinson says his finest work is yet to come.
“I haven’t created my best one yet.”
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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Milwaukee, WI
Post From Community: Laughing Liberally Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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