Sunday, August 9, 2020

Ripple effect: Move to virtual convention means lost business, opportunities for Racine County

From The Journal Times.com:

Eric Johnson

RACINE — Hopes ran high for a significant spillover economic impact on Racine County when the Democratic National Committee announced on March 11, 2019 that Milwaukee had been selected as host city for the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
One global pandemic later, expectations for some 50,000 national and international visitors being drawn to the region have evaporated along with the anticipated significant economic boon of the world stage showplace gathering.
The convention in Downtown Milwaukee was delayed from its original July 13-16 date at Fiserv Forum to Aug. 17-20 at the Wisconsin Center as the convention was significantly dialed back to a virtual convention, with Forbes on Aug. 4 estimating only about 300 convention-related visitors, including media personnel, are now expected to visit Milwaukee.
On Wednesday, the DNC announced that presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden is now slated to give his acceptance speech from his home state of Delaware. Scheduled convention speakers are now also bypassing Milwaukee, speaking remotely as well.

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