City of Milwaukee, Bucks, lose out to Miami for 2028 NBA all-star game

The Milwaukee City and Bucks have reportedly failed once again to secure a bid for hosting the NBA All-Star Game in 2028, with the league ultimately selecting Miami as the host, according to ESPN and The Oklahoman. The Bucks, who traded their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat in the offseason, had submitted a bid in 2024.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had initially suggested an All-Star game in Milwaukee when Fiserv Forum opened in 2018, stating, "Certainly, an All-Star game is on the horizon." However, in early 2024, The Oklahoman reported that the NBA had implemented new rules for host cities, requiring 7,250 hotel rooms, at least three five-star hotels, a convention center with a minimum of 650,000 square feet, and an airport with at least 75 domestic nonstop flights and 20 international flights.

Despite Milwaukee failing to meet these requirements by the time of the 2025 All-Star game, the league reportedly stated that they would not exclude smaller markets based solely on these factors. Instead, the NBA would consider small markets if they could demonstrate centralized multi-use entertainment properties to create an NBA campus, an undisclosed number of seats and suites in primary and secondary arena venues, and a sufficient volume of rideshare capabilities to establish a modern transportation infrastructure.

The Baird Center renovation was completed in October 2024, covering 1.3 million square feet, and the 4,500-seat Landmark Credit Union Live concert venue opened in 2026 next to Fiserv Forum. According to Visit Milwaukee, the city currently has just over 7,080 hotel rooms within a half-mile of the convention center, with a new hotel under development in the Deer District planned to have 156 rooms.