The Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin will launch an advocacy campaign asking the public to show support of a new Milwaukee arena by calling local officials.
“With the joint finance deadline approaching we are pleased that local and state officials continue to work towards a funding proposal that everyone will agree on, but time is not on our side to get this done, and we need to see more action,” said Paul Galbraith, CARW chairman.
While CARW’s position on funding has been not to support one plan over another, the organization has advocated that the project will spur growth for jobs, economic development, tourism and pride for Wisconsin.
The campaign begins Wednesday and will run through the end of the month. The timing coincides with the final days of budget considerations and includes a series of billboards in Milwaukee County that highlight key arena economic development facts. The billboard campaign includes a call to action to encourage local officials to consider additional creative options to fill the funding gap for a new arena.
In fall 2014, CARW surveyed its membership of 600 to collect their thoughts regarding the arena and ultimately identified the completion of the arena as its top priority.
“If this opportunity passes us by and we had not exhausted every effort to make it happen, we would have only ourselves to blame,” said Tracy Johnson, CARW chief executive officer.
CARW is the voice for commercial real estate brokerage and related professionals in Wisconsin.