By OnMilwaukee Staff Writers   Published May 16, 2014 at 7:05 PM

On the day that he relinquished ownership of the Milwaukee Bucks, Herb Kohl sent out a letter to the fans, which was distributed by the team.

Kohl's entire letter:

Dear Milwaukee, Surrounding Communities and the State of Wisconsin,

When I bought the Milwaukee Bucks back in 1985, some things I have always been passionate about, basketball, my hometown, and my state, came together to form a unique experience. Having been part of the effort to bring an NBA expansion franchise to Milwaukee in 1968, and then buying the team in 1985 to keep it here, I am honored to have had the privilege to lead the Milwaukee Bucks organization for almost thirty years.

I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to our ticketholders, sponsors, and fans. Your unwavering loyalty has always been critical to the success of our franchise. To our employees, your incredibly hard work, commitment and award-winning customer service have consistently made me proud to represent the Bucks.

Throughout my time with the Bucks, providing our customers with the best combination of quality, value and service has been central to our mission. We've worked tirelessly as an organization and as a team to grow and improve. In spite of last season's inconsistent performance and a record that none of us is proud of, we see the silver lining of this challenging time: we have a core of promising young players, we head into the draft guaranteed to get a top four pick, and we remain dedicated to building a winning team the right way, with the right players, that will make everyone proud.

The Bucks have an exciting future, and I know our new owners, Wes Edens & Marc Lasry, are eager to start their journey and share with you the many bright days and years ahead. Wes and Marc know how much I love our city and state and they share with me how important the Bucks are to our future. Together, we have committed to help finance a new 21st century sports and entertainment facility. They are starting their ownership as I did nearly thirty years ago -- with a commitment to keep the Bucks in Milwaukee. I know our community will welcome them and join and support them on their journey.

On behalf of the entire Bucks family, thank you and here's to the next 30 years of Bucks basketball.

Go Bucks Go,

Herb Kohl