This post originally appeared at https://www.wisconsinrightnow.com/milwaukee-city-council-frank-productions/

By Mark Belling, WISN-AM

A federal grand jury investigation is focusing on approval by the Milwaukee Common Council of the proposed concert venue to be built near Fiserv Forum in the Deer District.

The existence of the federal probe was first reported by me on Friday November 10. I have learned that the ongoing probe is focused on two Milwaukee aldermen who reversed their original opposition to the project. I am not naming the aldermen as they have not been charged but I am aware of who they are.

The 4,000 seat concert venue is to be built by Madison’s Frank Productions, which is owned by the national music promoter Live Nation. The president of Frank Productions is Joel Plant. The firm retained prominent lobbyist Buddy Julius in the weeks before it obtained council approval.

The land on which the facility is to be built is owned by the Milwaukee Bucks. Frank Productions would lease the property. The proposal had been facing opposition from operators of other concert venues in Milwaukee and support for it was languishing in the council. But developers agreed to eliminate a separate 800-seat facility from the proposal and it won city approval.

The federal probe is looking into whether the two Milwaukee aldermen improperly accepted anything in order to win their support. Now that the probe is underway, it could be expanded to include any number of things.

The entire common council is up for reelection next year and the filing period for council positions opens in a few weeks.

Past federal investigations into city council corruption have focused on aldermen taking bribes. What sets this apart is the high profiles of some of those involved. No one has yet been charged. It’s possible that no one will be. The existence of a grand jury merely means something is being investigated and does not necessarily mean wrongdoing will be alleged.

Mark Belling
November 11, 2023

Editor’s note: This column was reprinted with permission from Mark Belling of WISN 1130. It first ran at Belling.com, which you can find here.