Milwaukee Making Final Push to Host 2020 Democratic National Convention

Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee saw a grand opening event just a few weeks ago – and they’re already hosting major concerts and other events. Milwaukee Bucks Senior Vice President Alex Lasry tells us the city is also one of the final three options to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

 Lasry says the push is “not just about Milwaukee, it’s going to be about the entire state. People are going to be coming from all over. It’s not just going to be in Milwaukee, the hotels in the Fox Valley are going to be booked. And people are going to want to go around the state and really feel and experience Wisconsin.”

Lasry points out that the event will draw people from both sides of the aisle – and argues that “this is going to be an economic boom for Wisconsin. It’s going to be over two to
three-hundred million dollars of economic impact – 50,000 people are going to
be coming to the state, many for the first time, and then millions more
watching it on TV. So this is our chance to put Wisconsin on the map in a way that it hasn’t
been before, and I think we’ve got a really good shot at it. We’re one of the
final three, and I think after the site selection committee looks at all of the
other cities, I think they’re going to see that Wisconsin just makes the most
sense.”

Lasry believes Wisconsinites, regardless of their political leanings, should support the convention bid. He hopes that hosting the event would catapult the city into further growth, just like what happened after political conventions were held in Charlotte, North Carolina and Denver, Colorado. He explains that “these conventions – the Democratic and Republican National Conventions
– are the biggest conventions that happen every four years. And for us to be a
finalist and hopefully be awarded with it really would just show a lot about
what we’re able to do in this state, and putting us on a footing that makes us
a top-tier city.”

He adds that although it is technically a partisan political event, the decision to back Milwaukee hosting the convention is spreading across party lines – and even Governor Scott Walker has expressed his support for the city to host the convention. 

Milwaukee is joined by Miami Beach, Florida and Houston, Texas in the final round of places for the convention to go. The tight, convenient district surrounding Fiserv Forum could provide a bit of a boost. And with the convention being held during the summer months, Lasry hopes the milder summer weather of Wisconsin and breezes from Lake Michigan will entice the site selection committee to choose Milwaukee as their next host city.