Wisconsin Center

The Wisconsin Center District (WCD) is a government body created under Wisconsin State Statute in 1994 to fund, build and operate the Midwest Express Center (now Frontier Airlines Center) in downtown Milwaukee, and continue operating the existing venues now called the U.S. Cellular Arena and Milwaukee Theatre. Not a unit of state, county or city government, WCD is instead a semi-autonomous municipality called a "district, " meaning its leaders are appointed and it can issue bonds and collect taxes within strict limits. The mission of the Wisconsin Center District: to maintain, and continuously build, our professional reputation in the convention, entertainment and sporting events industry on all levels, both locally and nationally; to present first class facilities in the twenty-first century; to provide the most effective use of space for our clients by utilizing the collective talents of all Wisconsin Center District employees; and to create and sustain jobs, income, and prosperity in the Greater Milwaukee community. WCD is governed by an unpaid, fifteen-member Board of Directors statutorially appointed by the Governor, the Milwaukee County Executive, the Mayor of Milwaukee and the Mlwaukee Common Council President. The co-chairs of the State Legislature's Joint Finance Committee and the City of Milwaukee Comptroller serve on the board automatically, and two appointed members represent the hotel and restaurant industries, which derive the most benefit from a convention center. Alderman Willie L. Hines, Jr., Milwaukee Common Council President, Secretary This financial plan is supported by political and business leaders - in particular, Wisconsin's hotel and restaurant associations - as an investment in economic growth. Among U.S. cities, Milwaukee is rare in that its visitor taxes are used only for visitor-oriented marketing, facilities and services. WCD's diverse, skilled staff of about 285 full- and part-time employees markets and maintains the facilities, books and services events, and helps promote and produce them. Visit Milwaukee solicits major convention and tradeshow bookings, and WCD books smaller meetings as well as sports, entertainment and consumer shows. Levy Restaurants, WCD's exclusive food service provider, books banquet, luncheons and receptions. Most WCD employees are members of such bargaining units as the International Association of Theater & Stage Employees, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the International Union of Operating Engineers, the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, the International Brotherhood of Painters & Allied Workers, and the Service Employees International Union. A wide variety of private businesses and entrepreneurs ranging from event planners and decorators to florists and specialty food providers do business in WCD facilities, or deliver products and services to WCD clients. WCD exists to support Milwaukee's economy by attracting visitors and wealth to the community. In addition to the economic impact of visitor spending for rooms, meals, transportation and entertainment, WCD and its caterer, Levy Restaurants, help cultivate small and disadvantaged business development through "third-party vendor" contracts for specialty foods and other contracts for everything from construction services to printing. WCD's success in fueling local and regional prosperity is measurable in many ways, including the opening of 1, 065 new downtown hotel rooms since 1996. WCD has also helped stimulate community pride and economic development on the downtown, neighborhood and metropolitan levels.