MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Facing the potential of 50,000 visitors over the course of a week can be overwhelming for a business or organization at any level.
But for the Department of Public Works, understanding where the security zone will be for the 2024 Republican National Convention helps with that.
While details are still being worked out, the area in and around Fiserv Forum will be heavily guarded, but the perimeter of that may not be as far as you may think.
“Around the city, if there's events that happen, you could see increased traffic on some of the city streets, but I don't think we'll have any gridlock during that event. It's just going to be a little different when you get into the downtown secured area,” said Milwaukee DPW Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke.
While that area may not fall in the path of Milwaukee’s streetcar, DPW Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke says The Hop’s presence during the convention is definitely needed, as those visitors take in the sights and sounds of the rest of the city.
“The operation of The Hop, I think, is going to be vital for the RNC. Our opening up the L line, which is going to access the lakefront, access to the art museum, and Discovery World, it's going to be crucial to the RNC, so we don't see really any effects. We’ll see increased ridership, which is a good thing,” said Kruschke.
Edelweiss Cruises, which offers public and private boat tours along Milwaukee’s lakefront, also docks its boats directly across the street from Fiserv, making that secured zone unavoidable.
“We are under the impression, we don't know for sure yet, but we will be within that security zone. So, although this is a great opportunity for the city, our business directly is going to be affected, just because being within that security zone, we're unaware if we're going to be able to leave our dock,” said Schwegler.
Schwegler says because the RNC falls during one of their busiest months, they can’t really plan in advance as much as they would like.
They are looking into many options, like partnering with other businesses for dock space and working with nearby restaurants for catering.
But, regardless of what happens, Schwegler says she knows it’s only temporary and encourages others to look at it the same way.
“Embrace it. You know, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing that's coming to our city, so embrace it and enjoy it while it's happening,” said Schwegler.
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