MILWAUKEE — The City of Milwaukee is making a pitch to host the 2024 Republican National Convention.

The Cream City was set to shine during the 2020 Democratic National convention, but when the DNC went mostly virtually, the spotlight dimmed. However, city leaders and stakeholders say the work behind the scenes to make that bid gives Milwaukee an extra advantage in making their pitch to the Republican National Committee.

Those advantages were highlighted last week when members of Visit Milwaukee, Mayor Tom Barrett and other city leaders traveled to Washington, D.C., to make their pitch to the convention selection committee.

“We understand what it takes to host a convention, although we didn’t actually get the opportunity, we certainly know what it takes to put on a great party as evidenced by things like the Bucks going to the 2021 NBA Championship, the parade that was pulled off on by the city two days later, as well as all the preparations including for the DNC,” said Visit Milwaukee President & CEO Peggy Williams-Smith.

Smith was part of the team making Milwaukee’s pitch to the RNC and she said the city is ready to roll out the red carpet to any group that wants to spend money in Wisconsin.

“The next step is to make sure that we can raise the funds needed in order to bring the convention here,” Williams-Smith said, but stressed that work falls to people outside of Visit Milwaukee.

“We’re working on the bid package as it pertains to what Milwaukee has to offer in terms of logistics to the city,” Williams-Smith said.

A decision on the RNC host city isn’t expected until 2022 at the earliest. As for the 2024 DNC, Williams-Smith said her organization has not heard yet if the city will make a bid. She estimates that either convention could bring $200 million in economic impact to the region.