The Milwaukee Bucks' iconic former basketball court, designed by pop artist Robert Indiana, is up for sale again.
The court was originally played on in the 1970s and '80s in the arena formerly known as MECCA.
You might remember the story of its return from obscurity. A local group bought the floor a couple of years ago and – after a gala display in its former home – turned it into an art exhibit. Thousands of people saw it displayed at Milwaukee City Hall and in other places. But the court still does not have a permanent home.
This week, Ben Koller, owner and founder theOur MECCA Group, announced it is time for a more permanent solution to the question of what to do with the floor - and so he’s listed it for sale.
Ben Koller joins Lake Effect's Mitch Teich to talk about the floor's future and the obstacles moving such a large project entails.
“I liken it to the damsel in distress that’s locked in the tower. This beautiful, amazing, historical work of art in sports memorabilia that needs that knight in shining armor to continuously fight to have it released,” Koller says.
Koller says the decision to sell the famous playing surface came to him last summer, when he decided it was time to pursue the next chapter in his life - working in urban agriculture.
He declined to say how much money he hopes - or expects - to make on the sale, saying only, "If you're serious, and you have some vision and ideas [for it], we're definitely willing to have a conversation." Koller says he's hopeful the floor could remain a part of the Milwaukee cultural scene for years to come.
