BMO Harris Bradley Center: 30 years of event memorabilia to be publicly auctioned online June 4-12

More than 350 items up for auction include signed instruments, costume pieces, posters, framed photographs and more

MILWAUKEE – The BMO Harris Bradley Center today announced that a public auction of 30 years of event memorabilia will be held from June 4-12 online at www.greatlakesauction.net. The online auction will feature more than 350 items from Center concerts and events dating back to 1988, including signed instruments, microphones, props, costume pieces, framed photographs and more.

Bids will be accepted from 10 a.m. Monday, June 4, through 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, with extended bidding for items in active play within five minutes of the auction’s close. The auction website at www.greatlakesauction.net is live now to preview items for sale and learn more about the auction process. Anyone interested in purchasing items is asked to go to the website for information; neither the BMO Harris Bradley Center nor Great Lakes Auctions will accept questions via phone.

The vast majority of auction items will be from concerts, family shows and sports exhibitions like WWE Wrestling, Olympic & World figure skating champions, Badger hockey tourneys and the Harlem Globetrotters. Aside from a few photographs and small items, the auction will not include a significant amount of Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette University memorabilia.

Some of the many auction highlights include:

· Autographed Metallica guitar smashed at show by Kirk Hammett in 1997

· Pink paisley Fender guitar signed by Prince in 1997

· Takamine Cutaway EN-10C guitar signed by Garth Brooks in 1996

· Martin & Co. 6-string wood acoustic guitar signed by James Taylor in 1994

· Ray-Ban sunglasses signed by Billy Joel in 1998

· Microphone signed by Cher during her Living Proof Farewell Tour in 2003

· Size 7, Riedell ice skates signed by Katarina Witt during the 1997 Stars on Ice Tour

· Skateboard signed by Tony Hawk as part of the 2003 Boom Boom Huck Jam

· Black felt cowboy hat signed by Tim McGraw in 2003

· Autographed microphones from *NSYNC’s 1999 “No Strings Attached” tour

“As we come to the end of a remarkable run, it’s been amazing to look at all the memorabilia we’ve collected and relive 30 years of fantastic event memories,” said Steve Costello, the Center’s president and CEO. “This auction is a great way to share these memories with the public one last time. I encourage everyone to go online and take a look at everything there is to offer. This is your chance to own a piece of our community’s rich history.”

The auction will feature event memorabilia only. The arena seats are considered part of the building structure and will be transferred with the building to the Wisconsin Center District when the Center closes permanently this summer. Most building equipment and furniture has been sold in large lots to direct buyers. Additionally, some memorabilia, along with the original building plans and other historically important artifacts and documents, will be transferred to the State Historical Society, the Milwaukee County Historical Society and the Milwaukee Public Library.

For more information, visit the auction website at www.greatlakesauction.net.