Milwaukee, WI  Event Planning

Key Highlights

Hotels 130
Total Sleeping Rooms 21,147
Committable Sleeping Rooms* 730
Committable Meeting Rooms* 32
Largest Exhibit Space 189,000 Sq. Ft.
Largest Ballroom 37,506 Sq. Ft.
Average Hotel Room Rate USD $120
Average Daily Meal Cost USD $65
Average Weekly Car Rental USD $230
*Maximum for a single hotel
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Milwaukee, WI Meeting Planning Overview

Welcome to our Milwaukee meeting and event planning guide – a Milwaukee city guide for meeting planners. Welcoming 6.5 million visitors each year, Milwaukee's central location within America's heartland makes it a convenient meeting place for convention groups. Situated on the shore of Lake Michigan 90 miles north of Chicago and within 600 miles of 25% of the U.S. population, Milwaukee is easily accessible near the intersection of Interstate 94 and Interstate 43, and is a regular stop for Amtrak. The city also boasts General Mitchell International Airport, one of the fastest growing airports in the country and only eight miles from the downtown district. In addition, the high-speed ferry Lake Express transports passengers across Lake Michigan. Getting around in safe, walkable Milwaukee is a breeze with a simple grid pattern design and quick and efficient bus, trolley and taxi service running throughout the city.

Designed with the help of meeting planners and located in the heart of downtown, the Frontier Airlines Center is just one of three venues that make up Milwaukee's world-class convention complex. The center offers 667,475 square feet of flexible meeting space including a 37,506-square-foot ballroom, 28 meeting rooms and an expansive 188,695-square-foot exhibit hall.

Milwaukee's convention complex also includes the Milwaukee Theatre. Housed in a grand historic building, the 4,100-seat theatre boasts a sweeping staircase, banquet rooms and its signature half-domed Rotunda. The Milwaukee Theatre is host to top-name concerts and makes an ideal space for pre-event gatherings and small receptions. Not to be overlooked, the U.S. Cellular Arena offers an on-site caterer and 24,000 square feet of space for banquets and exhibits.

More than 3,700 hotel rooms are within a mile of the convention center. Just a skywalk away is the Four-Diamond Hilton Milwaukee City Center offering 34,835 square feet of meeting space and 729 guest rooms. A second skywalk leads to the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee featuring 481 guest rooms and more than 20,000 square feet of flexible function and meeting space including downtown Milwaukee's largest hotel ballroom. The total number of hotel rooms in the Greater Milwaukee is over 16,000.

Ranked #2 on a list of "Top Ten Convention Centers in Highly Walkable Places," the Frontier Airlines Center is located within walking distance of shops, restaurants, hotels, attractions and the popular RiverWalk. The Milwaukee RiverWalk was included on the list of "Top Ten Great Public Spaces" by the American Planning Association in October 2011.

Milwaukee attractions offer memorable special event and meeting space. Delegates thrill to the roar of motorcycles at the Harley-Davidson Museum, where indoor and outdoor spaces accommodate groups of up to 5,000. Ranked first on a "Top Ten Sexiest Buildings" list, the lakefront Milwaukee Art Museum with its spectacular, soaring atrium and kinetic "wings" makes an impressive reception venue. Neighboring Discovery World, featuring the Pilot House with its breathtaking 360-degree view of the city's splendid shoreline, adds to a long list of options.

About Milwaukee, WI / Additional Info

Before being incorporated as a city in 1846, the area that is now Milwaukee was at one time home to the Algonkian Indians. Likely due to its location at the confluence of the Menomonee, Kinnickinnic and Milwaukee rivers, the Algonkian tribe named the land Millioki (which means "gathering place by the waters"). Today, this aptly named gathering place is the largest city in Wisconsin and the 27th largest city in the U.S. Spanning 96 square miles, the city is home to approximately 600,000 people, while the Milwaukee metropolitan area, which stretches across four counties, has a population of 1.7 million people.

A Midwestern melting pot, Milwaukee is home to a diverse tapestry of converging cultures. The many ethnic neighborhoods peppered throughout the city contribute to Milwaukee's colorful, eclectic spirit. Flavorful restaurants and specialty shops line the streets of the city's various ethnic enclaves, while a flurry of festivals celebrate the city's diverse cultural heritage. Nicknamed the "City of Festivals," Milwaukee's 75-acre lakefront Henry Maier Festival Park is host to some of the nation's largest ethnic festivals - Polish Fest, Festa Italiana, German Fest and Irish Fest - along with Mexican Fiesta and Indian Summer. Beyond these lively cultural celebrations, the city sizzles with Summerfest, the world's largest music festival held over 11 days in June/July.

Infused with new life by a spectacular building boom, Milwaukee has transformed from "Brew City" to "New City." This jewel of the Great Lakes region has undergone massive revitalization efforts that have propelled it to the status of an internationally recognized hub of arts, culture and entertainment. Named one of Newsweek's Top 20 Can-Do Capitals in 2011, Milwaukee is home to MillerCoors and several other high profile companies including Harley-Davidson, Johnson Controls, Northwestern Mutual and Manpower, Inc. In addition, several well-known colleges and universities call the city home including the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Marquette University, Alverno College, Milwaukee School of Engineering and Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.

The renewed energy of Milwaukee's urban renaissance has ignited the city's art scene. Milwaukee has been ranked number 1 in the nation for donations raised per capita for the arts, and AmericanStyle magazine named it as part of their "Top 25 Arts Destinations." The city's downtown theater district sets the stage for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Florentine Opera, the Milwaukee Ballet and Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Adjacent to the downtown district, Milwaukee's "SoHo," the Historic Third Ward, is home to more than 20 art galleries, the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and the Broadway Theater Complex, which houses the renowned Skylight Music Theatre and Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

With its delightful blend of modern sophistication and old-world charm, Milwaukee is making great strides toward the future while continuing to embrace its rich past. Home to a wealth of historic landmarks, the city was named one of the 2006 "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Milwaukee's history is showcased at the Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion, Charles Allis and Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museums and St. Joan of Arc Chapel.

 
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