Oshkosh Arena settles debt, looks to future

• The owners of the Oshkosh Arena paid around $637,000 of back taxes
• With the debt settled, the City of Oshkosh can reissue the arena's liquor license
• Alongside news of new management, the arena's future is looking optimistic

The future of the Wisconsin Herd in Oshkosh is looking brighter, as the owners of the Oshkosh Arena settle their debts.
The owners of the Oshkosh Arena paid over $630,000 in property taxes, settling their debt with the city.

Through the City of Oshkosh's tax increment financing incentive program, the arena will be able to get back $500-550,000 of the taxes paid, according to city manager Mark Rohloff.

The refunded money can be used for operation costs.

On July 1, the arena's liquor license was revoked due to unpaid taxes, but Rohloff says it has now been reissued.

With new management from Iowa-based facility company, VenuWorks, and legal representation from Paul Swanson, one of the top bankruptcy attorneys in the state, Rohloff says he's optimistic the arena will be successful.

"I think the people that are involved now are committed to it, they understand how to do it, and I think you're going to see some some progress moving forward," he says.

The Herd has stood by its original statement from earlier this summer saying, "The Wisconsin Herd is actively preparing for the 2024-25 season in Oshkosh."

Overall good news for fans, who appreciate the local sports entertainment brought in by the Oshkosh Arena.

"I think having the herd is awesome in Oshkosh, especially it being kind of a bigger town, I think it brings out a lot of people that maybe are not involved, or don't get a chance to go to Bucks games in Milwaukee," Nick Voslar, a senior at UW- Oshkosh and Wisconsin Herd fan, says.

"It's an hour and a half, almost two hours away from Milwaukee, so, you know, Oshkosh, it's a bigger city, people want stuff to do," Chase Chomp, a senior at UW-Oshkosh and Wisconsin Herd fan, says.

To keep the momentum and ensure success for not just the Herd, but the arena itself, VenuWorks will need to focus on more than just the basketball team.

"The herd only represents about 25 dates a year, you know, generally, they need about 180 to 250 events annually to really make a go of it," Rohloff says.

The Wisconsin Herd is set to play their first home game of the season at the Oshkosh Arena on November 16.