'Polka Time!' exhibit being removed from Baird Center, former Wisconsin Center

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- An interactive experience at Baird Center that's been there since it opened as the Midwest Express Center will be coming down as part of the $456 million renovations.

The artist who made the piece says he's sad it see it go.

"Every time it's turned on and people are on it," said 'Polka Time!' creator Dick Blau, "it's kind of a wonderful sight to see."

Blau is the creator of 'Polka Time!', an exhibit in the southwest corner of the former Wisconsin Center That Showcases The Local History Of Polka To Visitors since it opened in 1998.

Blau says he especially wanted to showcase the joy of polka dance halls.

"[Polka dance was] kind of a zone of happiness that was really impressive, and being a moody young existentialist, I thought I had something to learn from that," said Blau.

For over two decades Baird center visitors would press a button and as they rode up or down the escalator near the Hilton, and enjoy a curated selection of polka tunes, but soon that time will be coming to an end.

"This is a matter of looking to refresh the existing building so that people who are coming back to it see a new property, reenergized, and a reimagined facility," said Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks.

According to Brooks, the removal of 'Polka Time!' is part of the rework of the South building.

Blau says the decision to remove 'Polka Time!' came after he had a long discussion about replacing a specific image, of a person with a rather bumpy tongue.

He said he wouldn't.

"['Polka Time!'] was accepted as a unitary work, and I'm not interested in changing it, it would be like switching out pages in a book," said Blau.

Brooks says while they did talk about that, the final decision wasn't related to that discussion.

"They're not tied together whatsoever," said Brooks.

Brooks stressed everything isn't changing however, the ever-vigilant security guard 'Syl' will still be at the Southeast entrance and is even getting a new counterpart.

"I can't wait for her to take her place in the North building," said Brooks.

He says with the planned changes to the southwest corner of the convention center, 'Polka Time!' just didn't fit in for them.

"We can't be in a position where we're referring to one as the old and the new, so a lot of attention is being put on the south building," said Brooks.

Blau says with so much work he and others did on a recent rework of the exhibit, he wishes things had turned out differently for the exhibit that so many have fond memories of.

"['Polka Time!'] actually really galvanizes a great many people from a great many backgrounds and I think that's one of the real accomplishments, and that's the loss," said Blau.

Blau added that he is seeking a new place for the exhibit, potentially with the MTA in New York.