We are about to lose out on one of the biggest opportunities to come to Racine in decades: an arena/hotel/convention center.

Why are we going to lose out? Because the Racine County Board is looking to defer consideration of such a fundamentally transformative project until next year, long after the Milwaukee Bucks will have selected another city to host their D-League team.

We cannot, as a community, allow this to happen simply because the County is unwilling to partner with the City and provide $10 million of the $46 million needed in funding. It is time to start asking them why. It is time to let them know that they will have to answer to citizens at election time for throwing away such an amazing opportunity and so many desperately needed jobs.

WE WANT THE BUCKS!

We want our gorgeous, historic Downtown Racine district, located right on the shores of Lake Michigan, to welcome families from all over Wisconsin and Illinois to Bucks games! And we can do it! Unlike Sheboygan or Oshkosh, we are situated half an hour from Milwaukee AND under an hour from the northern suburbs of our southern neighbor, Illinois. We are 59 minutes from Union Station in Chicago to Sturtevant by Amtrak: Transportation to/from the station here is just one of many ways that the Racine Event Center will open up new business opportunities. 

Still, this arena is about SO much more than just the Bucks. It is about expanding First Fridays to include a space for merchants in the crucial winter months. It is about creating a place for kids' sports leagues in a variety of athletic endeavors we cannot host now. It is about meeting Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold's commitment to bring a USHL hockey team here with a multi-function event center. It is about *your* company having a place to hold huge conventions AND having hotel rooms to house all the attendees. It is about bringing national entertainment acts to Racine that Festival Hall doesn't have the capacity to host and that we currently have to drive for miles to other cities to attend. It is about hosting horse shows and rodeos and UFC bouts and bigger artists at concerts YEAR-ROUND. It is about creating a DESTINATION for people throughout Wisconsin and Northern Illinois and Chicago, the reality of which would greatly accelerate the extension of Metra to our area. It is about bringing an estimated $13 MILLION in ANNUAL revenue over the next 30 years (almost $400 million!) to Racine. It is about bringing tourism to our entire County, increasing property values and ushering in thousands and thousands of new customers each year to our businesses. It is about giving our County-wide tourism a HUGE audience to which we can promote all of the amazing festivals we have in towns like Burlington and Waterford.

Let's make Racine County THE destination we know it can be for Wisconsin and Illinois families.

The Bucks will be moving on to their final choice any day now. The County Board might be taking a pass on the project until next year. The time for us to act is RIGHT NOW. Please sign the petition and email County Board members immediately!

Racine needs this arena project NOW. We have waited long enough for the tide to turn.

•EMPLOYMENT•
TOTAL: 891 jobs
Construction: 433 jobs
Full time:​188 jobs
Events center – 161
​​Hotel – 27
Part time: 270 jobs
Events center – 200
​​Hotel – 70

The County recently authorized $4 million to keep Insinkerator here with zero net job growth. Ask them why they won't commit $10 million for almost 900 jobs.

•What revenue can a hockey league bring?•
One hockey mom recently wrote to the City to implore people to consider the revenue such a league could add to our area. Here is what she said she spends when attending out-of-town games:

$1,370, family of 4, one weekend (hotel, food, gas – not including shopping).
One tournament, one age group.

That money could be coming to Racine as a host.

What can YOU do to make this arena a reality?
•SIGN THE PETITION!
•Contact the County Board Supervisors and County Executive by email to tell them you want an arena in Racine NOW.

•CONTACT BOARD SUPERVISORS BY EMAIL•
To locate the County Board Supervisor for your district:
http://racinecounty.com/government/county-board/county-board-of-supervisors

To email the Racine County Board and Racine County Executive, copy and paste these addresses (with commas) into the To: field of your email client:

Mike.Dawson@racinecounty.com​, Thomas.Pringle@racinecounty.com​, Tom.Hincz@racinecounty.com​, Thomas.Roanhouse@racinecounty.com​, Robert.Grove@racinecounty.com​, Scott.Maier@racinecounty.com​, John.Wisch@racinecounty.com​, Kay.Buske@racinecounty.com​, M.Gleason@racinecounty.com​, Ronald.Molnar@racinecounty.com​, Robert.Miller@racinecounty.com​, Janet.Bernberg@racinecounty.com,
P.Zenner-Richards@racinecounty.com​, Brett.Nielsen@racinecounty.com​, Russell.Clark@racinecounty.com​, QA.Shakoor@racinecounty.com​, David.Cooke@racinecounty.com​, mkb@racinecounty.com​, Monte.Osterman@racinecounty.com​, Kiana.Johnson@racinecounty.com​, Donnie.Snow@racinecounty.com​, RCExecutive@racinecounty.com

•MEDIA LINKS•

Mayor Pushes for Arena Funding http://arenadigest.com/2016/09/30/racine-mayor-pushes-for-arena-funding

CBS58 video:
http://www.cbs58.com/clip/12698559/possible-new-arena-in-racine

Arena would attract new events to Racine, officials say
http://m.journaltimes.com/news/local/arena-would-attract-new-events-to-racine-officials-say/article_52cff4af-12e7-5644-9519-07ee2da960f8.html

Wild owner Leipold lends support for Racine arena, hockey franchise
http://m.journaltimes.com/news/local/wild-owner-leipold-lends-support-for-racine-arena-hockey-franchise/article_9ef255eb-08e9-51f8-875b-a62ea728a724.html

New Arena a Possibility in Racine
http://www.cbs58.com/story/32935543/new-arena-a-possibility-in-racine

Racine Officials Discuss Arena Proposal
http://arenadigest.com/2016/08/31/racine-officials-discuss-arena-proposal/