There’s another sign of some normalcy for downtown Milwaukee as the COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year. The Wisconsin Center will welcome its first non-government group into the building since March of 2020.
This weekend, March 6 and 7, the Wisconsin Juniors Volleyball Club will be holding tournaments in the exhibit hall. Additional tournaments will take place the other three weekends in March hosted by the Badger Region Volleyball Association.
“This is a major milestone and will give us a glimpse into the future of large gatherings,” says Marty Brooks, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Center District. “I’m proud of the hard work our team has put in to allow us to welcome youth sports back at the Wisconsin Center. From sanitation to security measures, our team is well-versed on all protocols in place, and we worked closely with the Milwaukee Health Department on this endeavor. Tournament participants and attendees should feel confident their health and safety are our number one priority.”
The Wisconsin Center District has COVID-19 guidelines in place for each of their facilities to do their part to keep the spread of the virus low. They include temperature checks, mask requirements, high frequency air circulation, and sanitation between visitors.
With the volleyball tournaments, organizers are expecting between 3,000 to 4,000 people to attend each weekend. That is also expected to bring in over $6 million in business to area restaurants, hotels and other attractions.
“Our hospitality community is very excited to welcome Wisconsin Juniors and Bader Region back to our convention center and back to our city for their volleyball tournaments,” said Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee. “This will be much needed stimulation for our local economy, furthering the city’s comeback from this pandemic. Additionally, it demonstrates Milwaukee’s ability and expertise in hosting successful events even during a pandemic or, hopefully, near the end of one. So, future conventions can rest assured knowing that their Milwaukee event will be one of their safest.”
Since the pandemic began, the Wisconsin Center has been home-base of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, the recount effort for Milwaukee County’s November election ballots, and a large-scale COVID-19 vaccination site for the Milwaukee Health Department.
