Economic dud?

[Sir Lawrence]

https://www.wuwm.com/2024-07-16/a-complete-dud-restaurants-and-businesses-around-fiserv-forum-are-struggling

Some of you know that I have a connection with Doc's. 

Add to the discussion the number of businesses that closed doors for the week.  I office in the US Bank tower and everything is either closed or limited.  The bank branch itself is closed for the week.  The Courthouse is working on zoom, but no trials. 

[Uncle Rico]

https://www.wuwm.com/2024-07-16/a-complete-dud-restaurants-and-businesses-around-fiserv-forum-are-struggling

Some of you know that I have a connection with Doc's. 

Add to the discussion the number of businesses that closed doors for the week.  I office in the US Bank tower and everything is either closed or limited.  The bank branch itself is closed for the week.  The Courthouse is working on zoom, but no trials.

I can guarantee sex workers are making bank with the family value and evangelical wings in town

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I have heard that the economic impact of these things are usually not all that great. Local citizens just don't go out, and while the hotels are doing well, most of the delegates are involved in pre-arranged events or just end up not wandering all that far away from the site.

[brewcity77]

I honestly wonder if the "terrible city" comments impacted the local businesses. I heard prior to the event that venues that expected to be booked the whole week weren't getting any calls and that many of the politicians were afraid to go out in Milwaukee and were instead going to Waukesha restaurants. I don't know if there's any truth to that, but I can't imagine the events of the past week would have helped allay any such concerns, even if they were unfounded from the start.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

But I think businesses near the arena in Charlotte expressed similar frustrations when they hosted. People just don't go out all that far away from the arena.

[Skatastrophy]

It's a huge cost for Chicago too with the DNC coming up. Running more trains, tons of police overtime. Thankfully we sequestered the convention over by the United Center which is outside of the main neighborhoods.

[cheebs09]

I greatly overestimated the RNC's impact on my daily life. Traffic looks to be pretty normal or even quicker.

[brewcity77]

But I think businesses near the arena in Charlotte expressed similar frustrations when they hosted. People just don't go out all that far away from the arena.

Yeah, but even venues close to the arena are struggling. Doc's Smokehouse is right across the street from the convention center. It really doesn't get much closer than that.

Though the storms on Monday night also had an impact. Everyone in attendance stayed in the Fiserv Forum during the thunderstorms until late into the night. They weren't expecting to sell much food at Fiserv, but ended up selling more food Monday night than they did during the entire NBA Finals when the Bucks won it in 2021.

[Warriors4ever]

They're asking a server who she's voting for before they order?

[Uncle Rico]

I honestly wonder if the "terrible city" comments impacted the local businesses. I heard prior to the event that venues that expected to be booked the whole week weren't getting any calls and that many of the politicians were afraid to go out in Milwaukee and were instead going to Waukesha restaurants. I don't know if there's any truth to that, but I can't imagine the events of the past week would have helped allay any such concerns, even if they were unfounded from the start.

Little to zero impact in outlying counties.

This is more a matter of the pre-arranged gatherings and parties being held.  I don't think party affiliation matters one iota.

Plus, when you couple the degeneracy of the family values and evangelical crowd, lord knows what those people are doing behind closed doors.  Probably better their sewage isn't getting exposed to more of our outstanding downtown establishments

[MUBurrow]

Little to zero impact in outlying counties.

This is more a matter of the pre-arranged gatherings and parties being held.  I don't think party affiliation matters one iota.

I agree with this.  And the DC political crowd is notoriously insular anyway, even within DC. A vast majority of convention attendees are used to going to specific restaurants, bars, etc. affiliated with their party or lobby or whoever even when they are in DC.  And a significant number have tight schedules, handlers pointing them to specific meetings, etc.  This was never going to be a big, spread out party with lots of people exploring the city with money and time to blow.

[The Lens]

The loss is really from pre planned events.   When the DNC was supposed to be here many businesses were booked out all week.

A well known french spot had groups that wanted to rent their place from 8am-2am every day. A popular Milwauke sports bar got a non refundable despoit from a news outlet for $35,000.

For the last 7 months these same groups waited and waited (and called and called) but nothing materialized.  Even the haves in the Milwaukee scene (think those featured on Top Chef) were largely shut out.

Foot traffic was never supposed to be the big driver but the lack of planned events is really bad.

[MUfan12]

Plus, when you couple the degeneracy of the family values and evangelical crowd, lord knows what those people are doing behind closed doors.

Enjoying the sausage, apparently.

https://x.com/computer_gay/status/1813392864094687268?t=U5jRHn2HvWWDB3cnHyEWxw&s=19

[Uncle Rico]

Enjoying the sausage, apparently.

https://x.com/computer_gay/status/1813392864094687268?t=U5jRHn2HvWWDB3cnHyEWxw&s=19

That's on Grindr.  With that many evangelicals and family values folks in town, they should have been prepared for unprecedented traffic.

[Goose]

Sir

My office is directly next to The Pfister and we are working this week and taking in the action. I have been surprised by the lack of people in the area and all I see is empty restaurants and bars. I had after work cocktails at The Pfister yesterday and there was a buzz there and it was enjoyable. I went to breakfast at Brunch today and two people in there.

[Scoop Snoop]

I agree with this.  And the DC political crowd is notoriously insular anyway, even within DC. A vast majority of convention attendees are used to going to specific restaurants, bars, etc. affiliated with their party or lobby or whoever even when they are in DC.  And a significant number have tight schedules, handlers pointing them to specific meetings, etc.  This was never going to be a big, spread out party with lots of people exploring the city with money and time to blow.

I spent quite a bit of time in DC on business and had a fair amount of contact with some of the "DC political crowd". Your comments are spot on.

[21Jumpstreet]

I know it's been good in The Quon. Got this text from the woman who worked for me and bought my restaurant there:

We are getting SO much business from the RNC!! JD Vance's wife was in today! Secret service in tow. Got her hair done at EON!!

The secret service sitting at our bar today and grabbing food from the deli was definitely a sight!!!

I heard Concordia University rented out their dorms for convention goers.

[Goose]

21 Jump

I live out in Elm Grove and it does appear places in Brookfield are busy. Seems like all of the hotels around Brookfield Square are delegate hotels and that is helping out that way. No doubt people have to eat and drink, just not very busy downtown.

[Uncle Rico]

I know it's been good in The Quon. Got this text from the woman who worked for me and bought my restaurant there:

We are getting SO much business from the RNC!! JD Vance's wife was in today! Secret service in tow. Got her hair done at EON!!

The secret service sitting at our bar today and grabbing food from the deli was definitely a sight!!!

I heard Concordia University rented out their dorms for convention goers.

Grindr numbers in Mequon always outpace the rest of Milwaukee, so that checks out

[The Lens]

Marquette had 1500 guests, mostly federal (FBI, Secret Service etc) staying on campus.  Every dorm is being used.  That's good found revenue for MU.

[Galway Eagle]

It's a huge cost for Chicago too with the DNC coming up. Running more trains

So that's what it takes for Dorval to do his job!

[Skatastrophy]

So that's what it takes for Dorval to do his job!

You joke, but that guy is the best of the best. He's getting people trained up quickly to replace the covid attrition. It's just a mandated process that takes years for CTA drivers.

No way I want him replaced to see who Brandon Johnson puts in his place

[JWags85]

I have a friend who has attended/been involved with a bunch of DNCs over the last number of years and she says for a lot of people, including herself, the vast majority of their schedule (and thus revenue from attendees) is set well before they ever arrive in town.

I saw a tweet showing the Public Market nearly empty at 3PM during the convention...like what do they expect?  Coming to town for the RNC/DNC is not like coming for Summerfest or a Harley event

[Galway Eagle]

You joke, but that guy is the best of the best. He's getting people trained up quickly to replace the covid attrition. It's just a mandated process that takes years for CTA drivers.

No way I want him replaced to see who Brandon Johnson puts in his place

To your first point I disagree, service is craptastic and safety & cleanliness are wayyyy down. I'm 2 blocks off the Harlem blue line and bike past that to the Harlem green line because I'd rather be hotboxed by teens smoking than be next to people jacking it or see people drop trousers and dump one out (both on platform & cars). Not to mention the insanely slow outdated service, if it comes at all. But I'll give you that training takes awhile but anyone who defaults to "the people criticizing me just don't want to see a black man be successful" can't be taken serious.

I 100% agree about not wanting to see who Johnson would replace him with but I think JB would need to approve the person? Or is that just for the board?

[Hards Alumni]

I have a friend who has attended/been involved with a bunch of DNCs over the last number of years and she says for a lot of people, including herself, the vast majority of their schedule (and thus revenue from attendees) is set well before they ever arrive in town.

I saw a tweet showing the Public Market nearly empty at 3PM during the convention...like what do they expect?  Coming to town for the RNC/DNC is not like coming for Summerfest or a Harley event

Exactly.  They're all there to work, not vacation.