MILWAUKEE — VISIT Milwaukee says it is hosting the Republican National Convention’s Site Selection Committee this week as they consider the city as the site for its 2024 national convention.
VISIT describes the visit as such:
"The site visit will be Milwaukee’s original bid come to life with in-person tours of venues, accommodations, and the city as a whole. RNC event organizers will have an in-depth look at how the Greater Milwaukee area is the perfect host for their 2024 convention."
No other new details were released.
Milwaukee is one of four cities being considered for the RNC after largely missing out on hosting an in-person Democratic National Convention in 2020. Most of the convention was held virtually due to COVID-19, and the city did not benefit from the usual financial boost such a large convention brings to host cities.
But that could change in 2024. Milwaukee submitted its bid for the RNC in December of last year. The city's application, which included more than 200 pages, highlighted access to Lake Michigan, entertainment venues, festivals, the culinary scene, the Milwaukee Bucks’ championship, the Wisconsin Center expansion, Fiserv Forum and more.
VISIT estimates the RNC would inject $200 million into the local economy and attract 45,000 visitors. While the politics of the convention hang on one side of the political spectrum, economically it would benefit everyone, VISIT notes.
“Milwaukee is pursuing the RNC for the same reason it pursued the DNC,” Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee, in a statement.
“To bring hundreds of millions of dollars in near- and long-term economic benefit to our restaurants, bars, hotels, shops and venues," said Williams-Smith.
Gerard Randall was chosen as coordinator for Milwaukee's potential Republican National Convention Host Committee. He currently serves as the executive director of the nonprofit Milwaukee Education Partnership and is the vice-chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.
