Bucks arena

Stuff Blown Up

Downtown Milwaukee’s new $524 million arena will host concerts, the Milwaukee Bucks, Marquette University men’s basketball and other entertainment. The amount of resources that go into a construction project of this size is mind-blowing! Here are a few of the necessary parts and the Wisconsin companies that made, hauled and installed them.

  • More than 1,300 stepsproduced by Midwest Stairs & Iron, Milwaukee
  • Restrooms: 18 men’s; 22 women’s; 14 all-gender; and five wellness rooms – plumbing by Hooper Corp., Madison
  • More than 9,000 light fixtures – electrical work by Staff Electric Co., Menomonee Falls
  • More than 6,000 receptacles and devices
  • More than 600,000 linear feet of conduit
  • More than 3 million linear feet of wire
  • More than 1,000 plumbing fixtures produced by Kohler Co., Kohler; and Zurn, Milwaukee
  • More than 150,000 bricks (300 pallets and 15 truckloads) – installed by Arteaga Construction Inc., Milwaukee
  • 89,417 structural bolts
  • 17,500 seats
  • More than 8,000 tons (16 million pounds) of structural steel
  • 9 trusses,  each 200 feet, weighing 50 to 80 tons – produced by Merrill Iron & Steel Inc. – Schofield
  • 20,000 cubic yards of concreteinstalled by M.A. Mortenson Co., Brookfield; Choice Construction Cos. Inc., Menomonee Falls; JCP Construction LLC, Milwaukee

Team: Arena

Nearly 3,700 workers worked hard to construct the new Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center. Here are some of the jobs involved, training required and average pay.

Electrician

- Advertisement -

Tasks: Install and wire electrical systems; plan, diagram and repair electrical fixtures and controls.

Training: Five-year apprenticeship  |  Average hourly wage: $25.11

Plumber

- Advertisement -

Tasks: Design, install and maintain pipes for water and waste; vent gas systems; repair fixtures.

Training: Five-year apprenticeship  |  Average hourly wage: $30.11

Carpenter

- Advertisement -

Tasks: Building site prep; frame walls and roofs, hang walls; install windows, doors and cabinetry.

Training: Four-year apprenticeship | Average hourly wage: $21.64

Laborer

Tasks: Prepare and clean work sites; drill and blast site areas; lay pipe; build scaffolds; place concrete.

Training: Apprenticeship with classroom and on-the-job training | Average hourly wage: $17.95

Iron worker

Tasks: Raise, place and connect steel to form structural frameworks; install building components; weld metal.

Training: Four-year apprenticeship | Average hourly wage: $27.45

Operator

Tasks: Use power construction equipment such as graders, dozers, cranes, pumps and loaders to grade earth, put up structures and pour surface pavement.

Training: Apprenticeship  |  Average hourly wage: $25.11

Project manager

Tasks: Coordinate activities of various project contributors; make sure projects finish on time and within budget.

Training: Two-year technical training or four-year college degree | Entry level wage: $21.61

Superintendent

Tasks: Plan and oversee building of structures; make sure buildings are safe to use.

Training: Two-year technical training or four-year college degree | Entry level wage: $34.87

Engineer

Tasks: Plan, design and oversee the construction of buildings and structures.

Training: Four-year college degree. | Entry level wage: $28.38

Architect

Tasks: Design and sketch building plans; manage resources to keep projects on time and within budget.

Training: Four-year college degree  |  Entry level wage: $25.55

Sign up for the BizTimes email newsletter

Stay up-to-date on the people, companies and issues that impact business in Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin

What's New

BizPeople

Sponsored Content

Stay up-to-date with our free email newsletter

Keep up with the issues, companies and people that matter most to business in the Milwaukee metro area.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy.

No, thank you.
BizTimes Milwaukee