Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee's prime Lake Michigan location, world-class attractions, like the Harley-Davidson Museum and Milwaukee Art Museum, and wide range of shopping, dining, and nightlife options all add up to one out-of-the-ordinary meetings destination. Opening in fall of 2018, a new $524 million arena and entertainment block is within blocks of the Wisconsin Center convention complex and will add to the undeniable energy of downtown neighborhoods. The city’s urban-easy attitude is what planners are looking for today – easy to get to, easy to get around, easy on the budget, and all in a relaxed, friendly, and safe downtown area.

1. Wisconsin Center Convention Complex. Designed with meeting planners’ input and featuring 189,000 square feet of exhibit space, the Wisconsin Center offers the ultimate in versatility, functionality and style and is just a short skywalk away from 1,360 rooms at the Hilton Milwaukee, Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, and Springhill Suites. The three-facility convention complex also includes the 4,100-seat historic Miller High Life Theatre and the recently renovated UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, featuring a 24,000-square-foot exhibit floor.

2. Wow Factor – Unique Attractions Make for Unforgettable Events. If you’re looking to step outside of the meeting “box,” look no further. Rev up your engines at the world’s only Harley-Davidson Museum where indoor and outdoor spaces accommodate groups from 20 to 15,000 or hold your event in the 90-foot-high atrium of the Milwaukee Art Museum with its giant “wings” that open and close daily. On a long list of venue options, the lakefront Discovery World, featuring the 360-degree view of the city's shoreline, joins the elegant Potawatomi Hotel + Casino with its combined 60,000 square feet of meeting space. And for all the fun of the old Milwaukee beer halls, head to any number of local craft breweries.

3. Getting Here/Getting Around is Easy. Getting here is easy with Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport located only eight miles from downtown with airfares among the lowest of major cities in the country. Located just 90 minutes north of Chicago, Milwaukee is within a day’s drive of one-third of the U.S. population, and the Milwaukee Intermodal Station, with Amtrak and Greyhound Bus facilities, is mere blocks from the Wisconsin Center campus. A scenic 3-mile RiverWalk connects walk-around downtown neighborhoods like the converted warehouse district Historic Third Ward – home to the popular Milwaukee Public Market – and Old World Third Street, where the city’s German heritage is celebrated through restaurants and specialty shops.

4. Value. Milwaukee features big-city entertainment at small-town prices, whether you’re booking a block of rooms, organizing an executive banquet, or hosting unforgettable evening entertainment. From a variety of free or inexpensive attractions, performances, and events to top-notch dining with an affordable price tag, you get more for your money in Milwaukee.

5. Experience Milwaukee Like A Local. Known as the “City of Festivals,” Milwaukee celebrates summer with a continuous line-up of music and ethnic fairs at the 75-acre lakeside festival park. The city is home to numerous James Beard-nominated chefs and restaurants, and with a burgeoning “locally sourced” movement, has become a recognized foodie destination. And Milwaukee’s beer heritage continues to grow with more than 25 local microbreweries joining MillerCoors in one of the “World’s Best Beer Cities” according to Frommer’s.

For more information contact Jeff Baryenbruch, Executive Director of Sales, VISIT Milwaukee, at (414) 287-4259 | (800) 576-6466 or visit www.visitmilwaukee.org/meeting-planners/.