Convention pitch
Milwaukee will make a bid to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
For Milwaukee officials and business leaders hoping to bring the 2020 Democratic National Convention to the city, it’s not all about turning Wisconsin blue politically.
“I’m here representing the green party,” Tim Sheehy, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce president, said Wednesday during a City Hall news conference to unveil the city’s bid.
Sheehy said the chance to host a major party political convention presents an opportunity to “bring tens of thousands of visitors to Milwaukee who are going to spend money, create jobs” and help carry “the story of the city’s renaissance.”
The convention would be at the new Milwaukee Bucks arena, which is opening this fall.
Since the summer, a bipartisan group of local leaders has been working on the pitch that will emphasize the redevelopment of downtown Milwaukee, including the new arena, and projects such as the new Northwestern Mutual tower on the lakefront.
The convention would bring an estimated 50,000 visitors and have a $200 million economic impact, according to an estimate by one of the bid organizers.
Some $1.4 billion in downtown development projects are either underway or completed.
Those projects include the $524 million arena, the $450 million Northwestern Mutual tower and a $100 million apartment high-rise.
Earlier this month, the Milwaukee Bucks announced plans to bid for the NBA All-Star Game for 2022 or 2023.
Alex Lasry, who is helping to head up the effort, said landing the convention would allow Milwaukee to showcase itself to the world.
“It’s time for everybody to be put on notice: Milwaukee is ready for the big stage,” he said.
Lasry said he is pushing the effort as a civic initiative, independent of his position as senior vice president of the Milwaukee Bucks.
He is the son of Marc Lasry, the Bucks’ co-owner who is a top donor to Democrats.
The 2016 DNC convention was in Philadelphia. The Democrats have not yet opened the formal bidding process, and Milwaukee is the first city to declare its interest.
Other cities that could bid include St. Louis; Atlanta; Columbus, Ohio; Birmingham, Alabama; Miami; Phoenix and New York.
Site visits are expected over the summer with a final decision anticipated by early next year.
Besides a new state-of-the-art arena with a planned entertainment district, Milwaukee has a compact downtown that includes hotels and other facilities such as a convention center and the UWM Panther Arena that could be turned into related convention venues.
Bid proponents said there are enough hotel rooms within a 30-mile radius of the city to accommodate convention visitors.
Lasry said the bid committee is trying to raise between $750,000 and $1 million for the effort.
“We’re already well on our way with that,” he said.
Recent conventions have cost $50 million to $80 million to stage, with funds raised nationally, Lasry said.
Philadelphia’s host committee raised $85.4 million for the 2016 Democratic Convention.
Contributions were received from corporations, unions and wealthy individuals, with a $10 million grant from Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development.
Naturally, there are political ramifications to holding a convention.
Wisconsin is a key swing state that went to the Republicans in a presidential race in 2016.
“I’m going to say to either party, look, you want to be here,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. “It’s in your best interest.”
U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, a Milwaukee Democrat, said having a convention creates political interest locally.
“Again, the major incentive for this convention is the economic impact,” she said.
Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, is on board with bringing the Democrats to Milwaukee.
“Governor Walker is happy to welcome this and any other convention to Wisconsin,” said a spokesperson for Walker.
The Democratic National Convention would be much larger than the largest events that Milwaukee now attracts.
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.’s annual agents meeting last year attracted more than 10,000 people to the city.
The American Legion’s annual convention is expected to attract 13,000 people when it comes to the Wisconsin Center in 2022.
The main challenges for Milwaukee in attracting larger events has included limits to the Wisconsin Center, its main convention facility, and the number of nearby hotel rooms.
There is current talk of expanding the Wisconsin Center, and adding more adjacent hotel rooms.
A consultant who was hired by the Wisconsin Center District said the facility should add around 155,000 to 215,000 square feet, with a bigger exhibit hall and ballroom and more meeting rooms.
The center’s current exhibit space, banquet hall and meeting rooms total 265,835 square feet.
The state-created agency owns the Wisconsin Center, future Bucks arena and other downtown venues.
The expansion, which would likely go north of the Wisconsin Center on its parking lot along West Kilbourn Avenue, would cost $225 million to $275 million, according to a report issued last fall by Tampa, Fla.-based Crossroads Consulting Services LLC.
The expanded facility would draw more events and more people, with visitors spending around $106 million to $116 million annually at hotels, restaurants and other businesses, the Crossroads report said.