MILWAUKEE - East side businesses are preparing for Thursday night’s presidential debate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
University officials are expecting a sell-out of the 758-seat Zelazo Center, which means area roads will be busier than usual.
“We suspect that it’s going to be a lot of craziness around here because they are closing some streets down,” Sala Italian restaurant co-owner Teresa Warsh says.
"Neighborhood parking is already really tight, so it will be interesting to see how things turn out.”
The Milwaukee Police Department shared this update Wednesday:
A follow up on debate parking near UWM. You may need to move your car sooner rather than later or risk being towed.. pic.twitter.com/vLOY4dV4iR
— Michael Spaulding (@MikeWTMJ) February 10, 2016
As for an uptick in business, Warsh says that remains to be seen.
“It could be completely quiet because the only people showing up to the area are those that want to come to the debate. Otherwise, we are ready if a lot of people show up.”
Traffic is being altered for the immediate area surrounding the Zelazo Center, but Greg Habeck with University Police says most of the east side will be unfazed.
“There will be a little traffic congestion for people trying to get around the south end of campus, but otherwise everything else should be open and should be okay.”
The debate between Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will be the first of its kind for the University. The two candidates take the stage at 8 p.m. CT Thursday.
