Milwaukee is getting ready for Trump’s visit to ‘horrible city’
Donald Trump hasn’t always had kind words to say about Milwaukee, reportedly calling it “a horrible city” in a meeting last month with Republicans.
But next week the former president heads to the city as the star of the Republican National Convention. Tens of thousands of party loyalists and other visitors from across the country are also making the pilgrimage to see him accept the nomination, including Make America Great Again enthusiasts who delight in bashing blue cities.
Democratic Mayor Cavalier Johnson can’t wait.
For him, it’s a chance to showcase a place that’s long been in the shadow of Chicago and get an economic boost that could reach $200 million. Known for beer, Harley-Davidson Inc., its socialist past and a cameo in Wayne’s World, Milwaukee is hoping visitors notice its many other charms. There’s an expansive shore on Lake Michigan, not to mention cultural festivals and an aspiration to become what Johnson calls a foodie paradise.
“There are so many great things that are happening in Milwaukee and have been happening in Milwaukee,” he said in an interview. “Folks who come here will realize that when they’re on the ground, regardless of what certain former presidents might say.”
Johnson, 37, said the Democratic enclave is ready for the GOP spectacle and is preparing to ensure a pleasant venue for the convention even after drawing attacks from Trump.
The former president has since said he “loves” Milwaukee, but clarified that his criticism was aimed at the city’s crime rate, which like those of many other US cities rose during the pandemic. Johnson said he shared those concerns, and pointed out that the situation has been improving.
Violent crime is falling this year from the comparable period of 2023 amid a broad national decline. Homicides in Milwaukee have dropped 15% year so far this year, while aggravated assault has decreased 11% and sexual assault is down 19%, according to the police department’s dashboard.
“I was concerned about public safety when I woke up this morning,” Johnson said. “I was concerned about public safety last week. I’ll be concerned about public safety the day after the convention is over as well.”
Johnson, a supporter of President Joe Biden and a Wisconsin delegate to the Democratic National Convention next month, was appointed mayor in 2021 after his predecessor was named US ambassador to Luxembourg.
The following year, Johnson went on to become the first Black mayor elected in Milwaukee, a city where African American voters will be crucial to Biden’s effort to win Wisconsin in November. The state is a key battleground, having voted for Biden in 2020 and Trump in 2016.
Visit Milwaukee, the city’s tourist bureau, estimated the Republican convention’s economic benefit at as much as $200 million, based on its duration, estimates from the last RNC before the pandemic and the number of attendees anticipated this year. About 50,000 people are expected, including delegates, staff, law enforcement officers and media professionals.
The Wisconsin city, with a population of only 563,000, is facing a few logistical snags. There aren’t enough rooms in Milwaukee and its suburbs, so some convention goers will be lodging as far away as Madison, which is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) to the west; Sheboygan, 60 miles to the north; or south of Milwaukee near the Illinois border.
The RNC pledged that all hotel contracts would be in Wisconsin, and attendees will be shuttled between their accommodations and the convention venue in a fleet of 400 coach buses dubbed the “GOP Express.”
“It’s a big citywide event, and hotel rooms in Milwaukee are full, it’s just simple math,” said Bill Elliott, chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association. “We got to expand out.“
The restaurant reservations have come in waves as the city strives to spread the word about its burgeoning food scene. The latest season of Top Chef highlighted Madison and Milwaukee, a city known for cheese curds, pretzels and butter burgers.
As of late June, less than a month out from the Republican convention, larger events of about 100 people had been booked, said Kristine Hillmer, CEO of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association. But smaller gatherings were just starting to be reserved.
“It’s mixed, to be honest,” Hillmer said. “There are certainly events and reservations happening, but I think there’s fewer than what everybody was expecting.”
Milwaukee was chosen to host the 2020 Democratic convention, but the event had to be downsized because of the pandemic. With the Republican gathering this year, Johnson’s goal isn’t to score political points but to burnish his city’s ability to attract other big events, whether in politics, sports or entertainment.
“I certainly don’t support the Republican Party platform,” he said. “I absolutely do not support Donald Trump. But I do support economic development and growth and exposing Milwaukee to a wider audience and this presents an opportunity to do to do just that.”