RNC 2024: Milwaukee homes, condos for rent as convention nears

MILWAUKEE - Economic boom, or a bust? Some people hoping to rent their spaces for this summer's Republican National Convention are still waiting, while others already have big bookings.

In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin Tower has lived through 16 presidents. Soon, it will be across the street from presidential history.

"This is a great space for receptions or for media if they want to set up their cameras and get great views of the city," said Deb Lampe Revolinski, who lives there. "We have this beautiful community room, as you can see, surrounded with floor-to-ceiling windows."

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A TV show almost booked both spaces for the 2020 Democratic National Convention, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

"That’s a lost opportunity," said Lampe Revolinski.

This time, Wisconsin Tower is open again. They have received one inquiry.

"We are definitely disappointed," Lampe Revolinski said.

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It is expected that five Wisconsin Tower condominium units will be available for rent on Airbnb by this weekend. It’s right across the street from the Baird Center and about three blocks from Fiserv Forum, the main event site. Two more units have already been booked, and Lampe Revolinski is thinking about offering her one-bedroom condo; if she does, the condo requires it be through Airbnb.

"The fact that they offer insurance is really the driving force with staying with Airbnb. We want to make sure in case there is any damage done intentionally or unintentionally, that the unit owner themselves, they’re not going to be caught in a situation," Lampe Revolinski said.

There are also homes for rent during the convention. Powers Realty listed a three-bedroom home in Wauwatosa for $23,000 for the week. A Whitefish Bay four-bedroom is listed at $35,000, and another in the village is $38,000.

While they wait for bookings, hotels are seeing a big pay day.

"We are going to welcome several thousand RNC delegation members here," said David Heckman, general manager of the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield. "They’ll come here. They’ll stay here. They spend money here. They’ll party here. They’ll eat here. It’s really for us. It’s about being a place of hospitality, and that’s just so important every day."

Those RNC guests sold out the recently renovated Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield.

"July is really a game changer for hotels in this market," Heckman said. "After COVID, the recovery efforts and so forth that we invested in the hotels, we need that shot in the arm to come back and help us move forward with the next five to 10 years."

Wisconsin Tower is still waiting to book their community spaces; the money would go toward capital improvements.

"We’ll get the word out that this is still available. And it’s an awesome space. You can’t get much closer," said Lampe Revolinski.