The prevailing perception around these parts is that Milwaukee has no chance of being the home for the corporate headquarters when Miller Brewing Co. and Molson Coors Brewing Co. merge their U.S. forces.
After all, Molson Coors vice chairman Pete Coors, who will serve as chairman of MillerCoors, said the future headquarters will probably located in a "neutral" city other than Milwaukee or his hometown, Golden, Colo.
The Denver Post reported that the cities being considered for the new MillerCoors headquarters include Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, New York and Des Moines.
Still, that isn’t stopping the folks at the Milwaukee 7, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle from continuing their efforts to convince the merged brewer to come to a town that has marketed itself as "Brew City" for decades.
The M7 is bringing the international site selection team of Deloitte LLP to our fair city this week to evaluate our region and provide insight about how it should market itself to companies that may be considering Milwaukee as an option for corporate headquarters.
Steve Baas, governmental affairs director of the MMAC, said the Deloitte team will be here today and Friday, sizing up the region’s assets and making note of its weaknesses.
"We have them coming in to look at what we’re pitching, to coach us up," Baas said. "You could call it due diligence, but it’s much more than that. It’s a great opportunity."
The M7 folks will use the feedback as they continue to make their case to MillerCoors and as they pitch Milwaukee to other corporations in the future, according to Pat O’Brien, executive director of the M7.
Deloitte had provided some consultant work related to the formation of the M7, which then invited the company’s site selection team to hold its annual meeting here, O’Brien said. While they’re here, the dozen-or-so members of the team are going to size up Milwaukee.
MillerCoors officials have been mum about their progress in determining the location of their combined headquarters, because they are awaiting the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust review of the corporate marriage, O’Brien said. He said the government’s decision is expected in June.
Ultimately, Milwaukee might need to come up with a new identity to supplant the "Brew City" moniker. After all, if Miller goes the way of Pabst, Blatz and Schlitz, the only thing left will be a collection of nice local microbreweries.
Still, the M7 has not given up on the notion of convincing MillerCoors to put its headquarters here, Baas said. The Milwaukee team will "dot every i" and "cross every t" until a decision is made, he said.
Baas acknowledged that a pessimist may believe the cause is lost. He said an optimist may believe Milwaukee still has a chance. But a realist believes Milwaukee must make its best case and let the chips fall where they may, he said.
In other words, the M7 gang is going to swing hard, in case it hits something.
Steve Jagler is executive editor of Small Business Times.
