Bucks bring downtown Milwaukee economic boost

MILWAUKEE - VISIT Milwaukee said the downtown area is making up for what could have been during the 2020 Democratic National Convention – with help from the Milwaukee Bucks.

"Just like the Bucks are in the playoffs, we feel that as a hotel staff we are in the playoffs too," said Tim Smith, managing director of the Pfister Hotel.

After the COVID-19 pandemic squashed hopes for a lucrative DNC, the historic Pfister Hotel is making up for lost time.

"If the DNC was the low point, this is definitely the high point for us," Smith said. "Milwaukee is in the international spotlight for the next week or 10 days, and this is just our chance to shine."

According to VISIT Milwaukee, each regular playoff game brought the city more than $3 million. The NBA Finals games, both home and away, are expected to draw more crowds than ever before.

"We’re recapturing some of that media spotlight that we lost. We were anticipating billions of eyeballs on Milwaukee during the DNC," said Claire Koenig, VISIT Milwaukee communications director.

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Milwaukee missed out on possibly millions of dollars when the DNC didn’t materialize as hoped. But now, VISIT Milwaukee says, with the thousands of fans packing the deer district, the area is making it back.

"We’re just trying to welcome them as best as we possibly can. Make sure they have a great time," Koenig said.

Many eyes around the world will also be on the stars coming to town after some celebrities visited during the playoffs. The Pfister Hotel is just one place ready to put its best foot forward.

"We have to take our game, just like the Bucks do, to another level, and we spent the last couple of days working with the team just getting ready for all the national and international visitors," said Smith.

The first NBA Finals game played in Milwaukee will be Sunday, July 11.

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