Milwaukee mayor hoping RNC can 'elevate' city; some say security cut down on visitors
MILWAUKEE (WLS) -- The Republican National Convention has brought together tens-of-thousands of Republicans in Milwaukee this week as they formally nominate Donald Trump as their 2024 presidential candidate.
But one of the key figures of the convention is not a Republican at all. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson is a Democrat.
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He's no fan of former President Trump, but he pushed hard to host the GOP convention.
Johnson is setting aside his political differences to thrust his city into the national spotlight.
"I am a Democrat, like I said. I am going to the DNC next month, and I am proudly going to cast my ballot to support President Joe Biden and his reelection," Mayor Johnson said. "That's on the political end. On the business end, I am looking at this as an opportunity to elevate Milwaukee, to bring economic development, to bring economic impact here."
The Republican National Convention is estimated to bring in $200 million in revenue for Milwaukee.
Next month, the Milwaukee mayor will be coming to Chicago, where he will serve as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention.
Many of the visitors to Milwaukee are being welcomed to the city this week by a group of high school students.
These teenagers are working hard as city ambassadors, greeting delegates and politicians at Milwaukee hotels. They're taking part in the RNC fun, too.
The overall sentiment has been positive from people that live in Milwaukee or are just visiting for the convention.
With that said, there has not been quite the economic boom some hoped for, partly because of the security perimeters in place that have kept people away from downtown.
"It's an amazing experience, and one that showcases us on a new level," said Josh Albrecht, chief marketing officer with Visit Milwaukee.
Albrecht said the hotels in Milwaukee are all booked up. Many other hotels in surrounding towns are, too.
The hope was to bring in an economic boost. And, while that has happened for some businesses, residents feel like it's been a rather quiet week.
"I think mainly it's security; it's hard to get down here. You can't get off the freeway in many places, and that's what keeps people away," Milwaukee resident Paul Richards said.
There are two security zones, a hard perimeter surrounding the convention center, and a softer perimeter around other parts of downtown.
Because of that, many businesses in downtown Milwaukee have had their employees working remotely during the convention.
"Maybe 1% locals, 99% tourists and credentialed, I think there was a lot of people who stayed home," Omar Sheikh said.
Sheikh owns several restaurants in the city. And, while business has been a little slower than expected, he still views this week as a success.
"We haven't crushed it business-wise, but there's a lot of people coming to Milwaukee to experience it," Sheikh said.
Many people are now looking to Chicago, as it prepares to host the DNC next month.
A Republican delegate from North Carolina said there are some lessons Chicago can learn from this week.
"Don't overdo the security. Don't overdo that. Trust your people; trust your law enforcement. Don't overdo it, and just make sure they have a good working relationship," Brian Summers said.
Things remained steady downtown Milwaukee Thursday night. They've hosted different festivals to give some support to small businesses.
And, of course, business is still booming for cheese. A cheese mart downtown has already sold more than $3,000 worth of goods.
