RNC 2024: Milwaukee convention planning already underway
MILWAUKEE - Bipartisan work is already underway to get Milwaukee ready for the 2024 Republican National Convention.
Bucks can bring together a divided Wisconsin – not just the basketball team, but green cash. VISIT Milwaukee estimates 45,000 people will pack into the Deer District for the RNC and, with them, roughly $200 million will flood the regional economy.
"You know we’re figuring out final details, just so we can get all the hotels lined up, so we’re not releasing dates or anything, but everything is going really well," said Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee. "We’re very excited to come to Milwaukee."
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As for safety during the convention, McDaniel said organizers are talking to law enforcement and "feel very good" about things.
"Obviously, we’ll have a $50 million grant for security as well, so we think our candidates and our delegates will be safe," she said.
2024 Republican National Convention (RNC) Milwaukee
First, though, the RNC 2024 Host Committee must do things like recruit volunteers.
"A little too early for (volunteering), unless they've got big mounds of cash," said Gerard Randall, the committee's secretary.
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The host committee has to raise more than $60 million – $20 million of which has already been raised. Randall said he hopes they will have half of it by the end of the year.
"Guess how I feel? I feel great," he said.
2020 Democratic National Convention (DNC)
Early in 2023, the host committee will be hiring 120 full-time staff members that will be working in Milwaukee. The host committee looks to the Democrats' 2020 plans; the COVID-19 pandemic crushed that event.
"They, frankly, laid a lot of groundwork that we didn’t have to recover or reinvent," said Randall. "That made a big difference for this community as one that wants to host major conventions going forward, or gatherings."
Milwaukee relied on a bipartisan team to win the 2024 convention. While the state is divided between red and blue, green may again bring Wisconsin together.