MILWAUKEE, WI — The 2020 Democratic National Convention is less than one year away, and 26 of the 57 delegations that will be in attendance will be staying not in Wisconsin, but in Illinois, according to a list published this week.
According to a WTMJ-TV report, Democratic Party big names such as Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders will stay in a hotel close to Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum. Pete Buttigieg will stay in a Wauwatosa hotel.
Alex Lasry, Senior Vice President of the Milwaukee Bucks and Finance Chair of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, published several comments on Twitter late Thursday, offering an explanation as to why so many delegations will be staying south of the border.
This is good for Milwaukee and Wisconsin! The reason people will be staying in IL is bc Milwaukee and the surrounding areas are full. You can’t get a hotel within an hour of MKE. People will be staying in IL to COME TO Milwaukee and spend their dollars and see the city.
— Alex Lasry (@AlexanderLasry) August” class=”redactor-linkify-object”>https://twitter.com/AlexanderL… 23, 2019
In his comments, Lasry said the approximately 16,000 rooms within a 30-40 minute drive of Milwaukee will all be used up by various groups.
Distance Irks Some
According to an MSN report, delegates from battleground states were assigned to hotels closest to the Fiserv Forum. The report stated that “Illinois Democrats did not merit a prime hotel because deep blue Illinois is not a battleground state.”
Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said he wants DNC officials to revisit Racine County – which is about 30-40 minutes closer to the convention site than Illinois.
“Part of the reason that they wanted the (convention) was to highlight not only Milwaukee but southeast Wisconsin,” Delagrave said in a Journal Sentinel report. “It’s unfortunate it’s the case and we hope they correct it.”
On a good day, Rosemont, which is 81 miles away, is one hour and 23 minutes from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Lake County, in general, is about 50 miles away and is about an hour from the 2020 DNC site.
Others, like Oak Creek Mayor Dan Bukiewicz, weren’t so concerned about missing out on the 2020 DNC delegation hotel selections.
“We’d love to have a delegation, but we’re not in panic mode around,” he told Patch. “It may not be a state delegation, but everything around here’s going to get booked prior to the convention. There’s going to be no shortages of people to fill rooms.”
Bukiewicz noted that Oak Creek is situated less than 15 minutes from the airport, and is a short I-794 hop to the Amtrak station in Milwaukee as well as the Fiserv Forum in Downtown Milwaukee. “I’ve talked to a lot of residents who say they’re going to sublease their apartment or condo. If someone’s looking for an upscale apartment or condo, I’m willing to give them some suggestions.”
Here is where the various delegations will be staying, according to the convention committee in Wisconsin:
Downtown Milwaukee
Delaware
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Rhode Island
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin
Mitchell International Airport Area
Arizona
Democrats Abroad
District of Columbia
Iowa
Louisiana
Mississippi
Nevada
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
Wauwatosa
Indiana
Maine
Montana
Oregon
West Virginia
Brookfield
Ohio
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands
Pewaukee
Illinois
Michigan
Lake County
Alaska
Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Hawaii
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
New Mexico
North Carolina
Northern Marianas
Pennsylvania
Utah
Rosemont
Alabama
American Samoa
California
Florida
Georgia
Guam
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Washington
Wyoming
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