Oshkosh Arena settles over $644K in tax arrears, has handshake agreement to keep Herd long term

OSHKOSH – Everything seems to be falling into place for the Oshkosh Arena .

The facility’s more than $644,000 in tax arrears have now been cleared while arena receiver Paul Swanson said he has a handshake agreement with the Milwaukee Bucks’ G League team, the Wisconsin Herd, to remain at the arena long term.

The city of Oshkosh confirmed Bayland Buildings, the company that built the Oshkosh Arena, paid the $644,450.41 in combined personal property and real estate taxes on Thursday following years of financial challenges under owner Fox Valley Pro Basketball.

According to City Manager Mark Rohloff, the payment now makes Oshkosh Arena eligible for a tax increment financing incentive and a liquor license, which allows the facility to sell alcoholic beverages at future shows and the upcoming Herd season.

“We’re pretty much ready to go now and I am pleased it all finally came together,” said Swanson, the court-appointed receiver who is managing the arena’s affairs.

The arena’s future was very much in doubt when Fox Valley Pro Basketball listed the 80,000-square-foot building for sale in April before the city’s finance department revealed the owner had unsettled tax arrears totaling more than $619,000.

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Bayland Buildings filed a suit against the arena owner claiming the company was owed over $12 million.

Bayland Buildings then filed a foreclosure suit in Winnebago County Court claiming FVPB still owed an outstanding balance of $12,417,464.82.

As part of that case, the court appointed Swanson as a neutral third party to run the arena, and Bayland Buildings has been working with Swanson to get the Oshkosh Arena running again.

“They’re a secured creditor foreclosing their mortgage on the building, but they’ve been supporting it during this time,” Swanson said.

The veteran foreclosure attorney recently hired Iowa-based venue management company VenuWorks to oversee the operations of the Oshkosh Arena after saying he was close to a deal with the facility’s main tenant, the Herd.

According to Swanson, the two sides have now reached a handshake agreement and are in the process of signing a contract that should keep the Herd at the Oshkosh Arena on a multi-year deal.

The news ends months of speculation over the team’s uncertain future in Oshkosh after an inside source revealed to the Northwestern that the team “no longer wants to work” with FVPB over claims of a violation of the current lease.

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WXOW reported La Cross Center Director Jay Odegaard told News 19 Sports the Herd reached out to him to gauge interest about moving to La Crosse.

Team president Steve Brandes only responded to say the “Wisconsin Herd is actively preparing for the 2024-25 season in Oshkosh” in a written press statement before the team announced six of its upcoming 24 home dates .

“The Herd is excited about staying in Oshkosh and working with a very professional company like VenuWorks, so it’s really a win-win for the arena, the team and the community,” Swanson said.

“Everyone’s pretty positive and these guys [VenuWorks] really know what they’re doing [as] they’re currently in the process of hiring an executive chef and they’re general manager [Andy Linton] has experience running arenas in Kentucky and Alabama.”

The arena, which has a capacity of 3,500, is listed for $19 million on LoopNet but Swanson said the plan is to manage the Oshkosh Arena under VenuWorks in the short term before engaging serious offers for the property.

Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh Arena settles over $644K in tax arrears, has handshake agreement to keep Herd long term