2024 RNC FAQ

The Republican National Convention (RNC) is scheduled for the summer of 2024. 

Total expected economic impact to the area is $200 million – this includes direct, indirect, and induced spending. Direct spending is the money delegates and attendees pay for hotels, bars, restaurants, car rentals, venue rentals, etc. Indirect spending includes vendors or businesses who have an increase in production because of the convention. Induced spending includes wages paid to workers as a result of the increased business from the convention, that later gets reinvested into the community.

The primary venue for the convention will be Fiserv Forum. Additional convention meetings and events will utilize the Wisconsin Center District campus. The campus includes the Baird Center, Miller High Life Theatre, and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

The security footprint will cover the area surrounding Fiserv Forum and the Wisconsin Center District.   The secure measures for the convention begin the weekend prior to the convention and end immediately following the event. Businesses within the footprint are encouraged to remain open during the run of the convention, and locals and visitors are encouraged to shop, dine, work, and have fun throughout Milwaukee during the convention.   Additional security measures will be announced leading up to the convention.

 We expect 45,000 attendees on peak convention days. About a third of those will be delegates, with the remainder being families of delegates, corporate sponsors, interest groups, and more.

A delegate’s day can last anywhere from 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. In the mornings, delegates will attend breakfast with their state delegations at their hotels or other venues citywide. During the day, delegates will be active within Fiserv Forum and the Wisconsin Center District campus for official RNC events. In the late evening after convention events end, many delegates will likely seek out food, beverage, and entertainment, while others may return to their hotels.

We encourage locals and visitors to plan ahead as they head into downtown to go to work or experience the convention. This may include allowing for extra travel time, finding alternative parking options, carpooling or ridesharing, utilizing public transportation, or walking to their destination. 

Compared to other cities that have hosted the RNC, Milwaukee is a compact city and metro area with relatively little urban sprawl. Because of this, all of the lodging needed for the RNC is located within a short drive of downtown.