Hospitality & Tourism

VISIT Milwaukee announced Monday that it has launched a website to highlight area hotels that are offering discounts to first responders and essential personnel on the front lines of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Downtown Milwaukee's iconic Pfister Hotel shut its doors Tuesday in response to the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and its devastating impact on the hospitality industry.

Many in Milwaukee breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday when the DNC announced its 2020 convention will still take place here this summer, but organizers and local entities are now faced with the logistics of rescheduling a major event as the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and subsequent economic crisis persists. 

The Wisconsin Center District is moving ahead with the proposed expansion of the downtown Milwaukee convention center, though the project timeline is unknown as the nation continues to combat the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

The 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee has been postponed until the week of August 17 due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, convention organizers announced Thursday.

Gerald Rappaport, a longtime manager of several Milwaukee-area hotels including the downtown Hyatt Regency Milwaukee and Hilton Milwaukee City Center, has died at age 58.

Milwaukee-based Marcus Corp. is taking steps to support its 10,500 employees amidst temporary layoffs and closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

If the Wisconsin Center District continued on its current financial trajectory without restructuring debt and taking other actions, it would not have enough money on hand by the end of 2020 to make interest payments on existing debt.

It's no secret that tourism and hospitality are among the hardest hit industries of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. But even as travel restrictions and canceled events keep hotel occupancies frighteningly low, many hotels in Milwaukee remain open for business.

Wisconsin Center District officials are scheduled to consider next steps in their planned expansion of downtown Milwaukee's convention center after city leaders this week reversed their endorsement of the project.