RNC economic impact: Milwaukee hotels see boom, data still coming in
MILWAUKEE - Was Milwaukee's investment in hosting the Republican National Convention a boom or a bust? New records provide a start to answering that question, but there's plenty more to come. Here's what we know so far.
Visit Milwaukee data
For years, Visit Milwaukee estimated the 2024 RNC could bring the regional economy some $200 million.
Hotels certainly saw a grand old boost. Visit Milwaukee data found a $20 million increase in hotel income for the week of the RNC compared with the same week the previous year – $10 million in 2023, $30 million in 2024.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Preliminary economic impact associated with RNC in Milwaukee
Then, there's the $91 million the Milwaukee 2024 Host Committee raised. Its report, just filed with the Federal Election Commission, shows how it spent $86 million:
- $14.7 million to the RNC's general contractor, Freeman Exposition
- $14.7 million to Alongi Media for broadcast technology
- $7.3 million to Transportation Management Systems
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.
All three of those national companies said they used local subcontractors.
As for host committee money that went directly to local businesses, there were many expenses, including:
- $5.7 million to rent Fiserv Forum, including more than $100,000 for post-RNC repairs
- $4.6 million to the Wisconsin Center District to rent Baird Center and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena
- $1.8 million to Waukesha-based Majic Production, which produced the host committee's welcome party
- $945,000 to Saz's Catering
- $316,000 to The Pfister Hotel
2024 Republican National Convention (RNC)
Wisconsin sales data
FOX6 News also obtained Wisconsin sales data that compares July 2023 to July 2024.
The data showed hotels in Milwaukee County saw a 39% boost, which equates to an extra $16.9 million. While hotels boomed, state data revealed museums and historical sites in the county saw a 38% drop in sales. Restaurants and bars in Milwaukee County saw a 2.9% drop, worth $5.6 million.
Empty seats at Milwaukee restaurant on Day 1 of the RNC
In total, all industries in Milwaukee County saw an increase in sales from July 2023 to July 2024 of 0.1% – about $838,000. That's just one county. And while the RNC was only part of one week, it's worth keeping in mind the data is for the whole month of July.
Statewide, sales income grew from July 2023 to July 2024 by $252 million.
What's next?
A lot more will be included as economists determine the RNC's economic impact. Sales are just one piece of the pie; the Milwaukee Police department got a $75 million federal grant for security, which includes buying equipment that it will keep, like a mobile command center. In addition, tech companies spent millions of dollars to permanently boost the city's tech infrastructure.
There's also the two years of RNC-related events and preparations, including two years of rents both the host committee and RNC paid in the city, a couple media previews, and more.
Visit Milwaukee and the MKE 2024 Host Committee joined together to commission a third party to study the full economic impact. The groups hope the study will be out by the end of the year.
Down in Chicago, which hosted the 2024 Democratic National Convention, the DNC Host Committee is also studying how much the conventions brought in. Choose Chicago tells FOX6 hotel revenue totaled $53.9 million dollars, which the organization says is an increase of 103% compared with the same time in 2023.
Both cities’ tourism bureaus said they’re looking for long-term economic impact, as it brought worldwide attention to the cities; both hope the events increased interest in bringing future conventions and events to their respective cities.