Boat companies uneasy about business being limited by RNC security
Summer is prime water time, but river runs next to venues
In summertime, the water beckons, and the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan are prime locations to enjoy some sun.
But for some businesses on the water, such as excursion boats, the Republican National Convention could have a major financial impact during one of the busiest times of the year.
The convention, which runs July 15-18, might force the water businesses to run aground during that week because of security restrictions.
An area that encompasses a section of the Milwaukee River downtown is expected to experience increased security during the event, though local and federal officials have not said where restrictions on travel will be in place.
“It kind of made it real hard for us to start planning or committing to anything,” said Jake Chianelli, owner and captain of Milwaukee Boat Line. “Shutting down for something like a week is a pretty significant hit.”
Chianelli said he has not heard much information about what his company should do or prepare for during that week and is taking a “wait and see” approach.
“It’s not as simple as ‘We’ll find another dock or something outside of the security zone,’” Chianelli said.
“We’re just trying to take a deep breath and not freak out too much and hopefully we’ll get some more information in the next month.”
Boat operator concerns arose during planning for DNC
Ald. Robert Bauman, whose district includes much of downtown, said the boat companies’ concern “is very real” given the river’s proximity to the RNC’s main event venues of the Fiserv Forum and the Baird Center.
Bauman said he heard concerns in the lead-up to the Democratic National Convention four years ago, before the COVID-19 pandemic forced that event to go almost entirely virtual.
Bauman predicted that downtown would be largely inaccessible to regular citizens and would resemble an “armed camp” with the thousands of law enforcement officers.
“This is so totally out of our hands,” he said. “The Secret Service will tell us what it is you’re going to have open and not open, and that’s it, case closed. Maybe there’s some room for debate, but I don’t think so.”
A U.S. Secret Service spokesperson told the Journal Sentinel the agency couldn’t say at this point what the Republican National Convention would mean for river access because the security plan is still being developed.
Jeff Fleming, spokesman for Mayor Cavalier Johnson, said the office hopes there is a way for those businesses to “maintain some operations even if the Milwaukee River is closed to navigation.”
“I anticipate Port Milwaukee will be reaching out to see if some accommodations could be made for these companies to temporarily relocate, if that is feasible,” Fleming said in an email.
The RNC declined to comment for this story.
RNC could create ‘significant financial impact’
In May, Matthew Weber is planning to open Cream City Boats, a new bumper boat business on the Milwaukee River.
“It’s going to be something fun, unique and different,” Weber said. “They’re all electric, completely silent boats.”
But for a young business, shutting down for a week can have a huge financial impact.
“We could lose $1,000 a day, if not more,” Weber said. “It could be a significant impact, especially for a small business.”
Even the biggest boat companies on the river are bracing for a hit to their business, and frustration is growing as they wait for information.
“It’s more of a disappointment than anything else, that we haven’t heard yet,” said Lindsay Schwegler, the director of operations for Edelweiss Cruises and Boat Tours. “There’s been no communication one way or the other.”
She said shutting down for a week in the middle of July would be a “significant financial impact” for the company as well as workers.
“It is affecting our employees for a week,” Schwegler said. “It is a financial impact to them.”
In an effort to minimize losses, Edelweiss is planning to send one of its boats to Port Washington and operate tours there with the help of Visit Port Washington. But unlike Milwaukee, which has a harbor protected by the breakwater, the Port Washington tours will be “very weather dependent,” she said.
“The thing that sucks is we won’t be able to showcase Milwaukee. And we love Milwaukee,” Schwegler said. “It is a great event for Milwaukee but for these businesses that are being directly affected, it’s not great.”