CNN will not take over Milwaukee’s Turner Hall for its 2020 DNC coverage
CNN will not take over Milwaukee’s Turner Hall for its coverage of the 2020 Democratic National Convention in August, the venue’s CEO said.
Gary Witt, CEO of Pabst Theater Group, said Friday the group’s other venues, including the Pabst Theater and Riverside Theater, have no booking related to the DNC for the week of Aug. 17.
It’s another indication that the 2020 DNC won’t be what organizers imagined when the city was awarded the convention in March 2019.
The convention, which was set to bring 50,000 people to Milwaukee in July, was postponed until the week of Aug. 17 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The DNC is entertaining the idea of hosting a mostly “virtual” gathering because of public health concerns.
“This is a major media outlet,” Witt said. “They’ve made this decision. And I think that speaks volumes.”
The cable news network had booked the venue for its convention coverage and filed plans with Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Commission to change the signage and lighting on Turner Hall during the broadcast.
The size and scale of the 2020 convention has been questioned since the pandemic arrived in Milwaukee in March. Milwaukee’s top health official has said she favors a “more virtual” DNC. As of Friday morning, 246 people in Milwaukee County had died from the coronavirus with more than 5,700 infected.
“We haven’t been told that the DNC is canceled at this point,” said city Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik. “But definitely, you know, shifting to a more virtual (convention) would be ideal to protect the public.”
That would mean fewer people eating at Milwaukee restaurants, staying at hotels and patronizing other businesses across the city. Democrats have made moves to allow delegates to vote virtually.
CNN pulling back on its Milwaukee broadcast is a big sign that television networks will scale back on coverage.
Cantina Milwaukee, a taco and tequila restaurant, is still booked by a media partner, said Bobby Wiltgen, who operates Cantina and other bars on Old World Third Street.
“Our media partner that booked at Cantina Milwaukee has remained committed to our venue for the DNC stating their presence may be smaller in scope but they still plan to use the space as their Milwaukee media hub,” Wiltgen said in an email Friday. He said leads for bookings at Oak Barrel Public House and Who’s on Third have dried up.
“We’re still hopeful we will be able to host some type of events at the other locations if guidelines are in place that allow us to do so in a safe, healthy and practical manner,” he said.
Good City Brewing’s downtown taproom across from Fiserv Forum is still booked for the convention, said founder Dan Katt.
Witt has proposed that Democrats should commit to holding their 2024 convention in Milwaukee and that the city should not use its resources now to stage an event of this magnitude.
“It’s not too late to rally for the DNC in MKE in 2024,” he posted on Twitter. “If our leaders won’t demand it, you and I should.”
“It doesn’t make sense for our leaders to cheer for a 10 percent or 20 percent version of the DNC,” Witt said. Milwaukee will miss out on the economic and marketing opportunity it needs if it hosts a smaller-scale convention, he said.
Peggy Williams-Smith, CEO of Milwaukee’s visitors bureau, said while the convention will not look the same as past years and will likely bring fewer people to the city, it will still bring visitors to Milwaukee.
“All I know is that any kind of convention will be good for business in the city,” Williams-Smith said. “What we have right now is zero tourism.”
Unlike the Olympics where an entire village is built prior to hosting to the event, Milwaukee has not made the same type of infrastructure investments.
“We have put significant time and energy and companies given money but we haven’t built anything in our infrastructure that says you need to come back in 2024,” she said. “Of course we’re going to put our name in for 2024 as soon as the bidding process opens.”
Visit Milwaukee has not had specific conversations with DNC organizers about how the city could be promoted during a partly or virtual convention.
“I can guarantee that the DNCC will make sure that Milwaukee is highlighted because there’s a partnership there,” she said.
Venues in the Pabst Theater Group like the Pabst Theater, Riverside Theater and Turner Hall Ballroom have all been shut down since March to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Hundreds of shows have been canceled or postponed. The company sued its insurance provider, Cincinnati Insurance, for being denied business interruption claims.
The group has started to host livestreamed online concerts and offer small wedding ceremonies of 10 people or fewer.
Witt is a founding member of the National Independent Venue Association, started during the pandemic to represent more than 1,000 venues and promoters across the country.