Midwest Airlines Center
Encyclopedia
The Frontier Airlines Center (formerly Midwest Airlines Center and Midwest Express Center) is a convention and exhibition center located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. The center is part of a greater complex of buildings which includes the U.S. Cellular Arena
and the Milwaukee Theatre
, and was a replacement for the former convention center portion of the MECCA (Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center, and Arena
) complex.
. Naming rights were sold to Midwest Airlines
. Skywalks connect the convention center
to the nearby Hilton
and Hyatt
hotels. On April 13, 2010, Republic Airways Holdings CEO Bryan Bedford announced that the name would change to Frontier Airlines Center, coinciding with the consolidation of brands between Frontier and Midwest Airlines.
Art was incorporated early in the design stage and is the largest design-build project in Wisconsin
. Its architecture reinterprets the many historic German
buildings found in downtown Milwaukee. Along with art-as-design features, the John J. Burke Family Collection is scattered throughout the interior.
On the Fourth Street side of the center is an outdoor reliquary garden titled "City Yard." Created by artist Sheila Klein, it contains many iconic items from Milwaukee's DPW
such as fire hydrants and the classic blue police call box. Within this area are planters containing ginkgo trees and a large monument with four limestone
lion heads set in relief
. These architectural elements were salvaged from the AT&T
building that once stood nearby.
Artist Vito Acconci
created an indoor-outdoor sculpture titled "Walkways Through the Wall." Designed to integrate private and public space, these curled terra cotta colored concrete strips flow through structural boundaries and provide seating at both ends.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. The center is part of a greater complex of buildings which includes the U.S. Cellular Arena
U.S. Cellular Arena
U.S. Cellular Arena is an indoor arena, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
and the Milwaukee Theatre
Milwaukee Theatre
The Milwaukee Theatre is a theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The building was extensively renovated from 2001-2003, at which point it received its current name. It seats 4,086 people and can be configured into a more intimate venue that seats 2,500. It is located at 500 W...
, and was a replacement for the former convention center portion of the MECCA (Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center, and Arena
U.S. Cellular Arena
U.S. Cellular Arena is an indoor arena, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
) complex.
Description
The building opened in 1998 and features 188695 square feet (17,530.3 m²) of contiguous exhibit space along with a 37506 square feet (3,484.4 m²) ballroomBallroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
. Naming rights were sold to Midwest Airlines
Midwest Airlines
Midwest Airlines was a U.S.-based airline and was also an operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. operating from Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport...
. Skywalks connect the convention center
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
to the nearby Hilton
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
and Hyatt
Hyatt
Hyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation...
hotels. On April 13, 2010, Republic Airways Holdings CEO Bryan Bedford announced that the name would change to Frontier Airlines Center, coinciding with the consolidation of brands between Frontier and Midwest Airlines.
Art was incorporated early in the design stage and is the largest design-build project in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. Its architecture reinterprets the many historic German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
buildings found in downtown Milwaukee. Along with art-as-design features, the John J. Burke Family Collection is scattered throughout the interior.
On the Fourth Street side of the center is an outdoor reliquary garden titled "City Yard." Created by artist Sheila Klein, it contains many iconic items from Milwaukee's DPW
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
such as fire hydrants and the classic blue police call box. Within this area are planters containing ginkgo trees and a large monument with four limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
lion heads set in relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
. These architectural elements were salvaged from the AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
building that once stood nearby.
Artist Vito Acconci
Vito Acconci
Vito Hannibal Acconci is a Bronx, New York-born, Brooklyn-based designer, landscape architect, performance and installation artist.-Education:...
created an indoor-outdoor sculpture titled "Walkways Through the Wall." Designed to integrate private and public space, these curled terra cotta colored concrete strips flow through structural boundaries and provide seating at both ends.