MILWAUKEE -- It's been more than two years since ground was broken on the new Bucks arena and tonight, there will finally be basketball.
Fiserv Forum will host its first basketball game when the Chicago Bulls take on the Bucks in the first preseason game of the season Wednesday.
"To have a dress rehearsal and have one of our first preseason games, I think people externally are as excited as they are internally," Bucks President Peter Feigin said. "I think we'd be kidding if we didn't build this for basketball."
The dress rehearsal won't be limited to the players on the court. It's a chance to work out the kinks at the new arena.
"It's a test run," Dustin Godsey, Chief Marketing Officer for the Bucks said. "First time for season ticket holders to sit in their seats for the first time. Where they're going to come in, how to get here, where to park. It's opening night really for everybody."
Fiserv Forum will be an experience for fans. There are 4,000 more seats in the inner bowl than in the Bradley Center giving it a much more intimate feel. It will help fans feel closer to the game but it's not the only thing to make fans feel at home.
From the court to concessions, fans can enjoy a piece of Milwaukee. The menu in the arena has food items designed with Milwaukee in mind. MKEat is a culinary experience with a focus on local fare. From the Klement's beer and cheese curd sausage to local barbecue giant Iron Grate, every item on the menu will be localized.
"We wanted to bring in what's true and local to Milwaukee but also involved a high quality of ingredients and high quality to detail of items," Kenneth Hardiman, Sr. Executive Chef at Fiserv Forum said. "We want to make sure we invest back in the community and the city that has provided so much to us. I also find that we're looking at doing something different than anyone else. We want to create a variety for the fan here. We don't want your typical hot dog or sausages. We want to expand it and make it the best product we can offer."
While they get used to how things run at Fiserv Forum during the preseason, they will be ready to go for the regular season in just two weeks.
However, Fiserv Forum has just started to touch its potential.
"We have an ice floor," Feigin said. "We've actively gone after the Frozen Four. We'll look at other college hockey as well as high school hockey and look to activate as time goes. We'll have the floor down for Disney on Ice and all those great shows as well."
Tonight, tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. against the Chicago Bulls.
