MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Recently fired Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks was given a 45 minute window to make a case for himself as afforded in his contract by the district’s board.
On July 22, Brooks did just that, while also attacking the credentials of the board’s current chief of staff and demanding to be paid roughly $900,000 under terms of his employment contract.
Wednesday’s hearing follows a months-long saga between Brooks and the district board, including reaction to a study exploring the feasibility of a convention center hotel, allegations of sexual assault levied against Brooks by Milwaukee Common Council President Jose Perez, and last month’s vote to fire Brooks over alleged misuse of district money on a company credit card totaling $50,000.
“Good morning my friends and former friends,” Brooks said to begin his remarks after first thanking district leadership for their time together.
Brooks said he “inherited a mess” when he began as President and CEO in 2018 before listing off accomplishments under his leadership including the $456 million renovation of the Baird Center.
From there, Brooks questioned the credentials of Chief of Staff Jim Kanter, saying he and other board members had “showed little interest in operations, skipped meetings, and groused about board members being unpaid”.
Brooks said board members who originally supported him became critics following the convention center hotel study, which he referred to as “the match that lit my termination candle”.
“The study professionally gave us the information we sought. It turned out that information was problematic for several board members,” said Brooks.
While describing the firing process as a “witch hunt” on multiple occasions and a “bad faith effort at every step”, Brooks lobbed several shots at “hotel owners and operators and some politicians”, with downtown Alderman Bob Bauman receiving the lion’s share of his criticism. Brooks called Bauman’s efforts to secure historic designation for the UWM Panther Arena and Miller High Life Theatre in 2025 through committees he chairs a “kangaroo court”, and said he took multiple opportunities to leak information to the media.
“How fair was that? Did you do anything to censure Alderman Bauman, or do you just tell him what a great job he did in savaging me?” asked Brooks.
Similarly, Brooks reiterated his stance that Perez’s assault allegations were complete fabrications, saying the board deemed them to be the “golden ticket” to fire him with cause. No charges were ever filed against Brooks related to the allegations.
“When both law enforcement and this board’s own external third party investigation revealed the allegations were completely unsubstantiated, [the board] pivoted, terminated me for convenience and tried to negotiate to pay me less than my binding contract requires when I refuse to budge on the money I am rightfully owed,” said Brooks.
Brooks acknowledged his political contributions to Perez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson via a corporate credit card calling it “a mistake” and noting he had written a check to the district for compensation. All three politicians previously confirmed they were sending the contributions back.
Brooks also made mention of the purchase of two pairs of luxury Christian Louboutin shoes, which he said were intended for a stage presentation and for an unnamed employee who “just recovered from a serious illness”.
“If I had to do this over, I would have done it differently but in the moment it advanced the interests of the district,” said Brooks about the shoes, also using that rationale to explain the purchase of custom LEGO sets, office furniture, a Milwaukee Athletic Club membership, personal hygiene products, Broadway Across America tickets, client dinners.
Towards the end of his statement, Brooks reiterated his questioning of Kanter’s credentials by directly calling out the board’s decision to place Kanter in the Chief of Staff role.
“After grousing that I was being paid too much, Kanter is now being paid at the top 25 percent level in an industry in which he would not otherwise even be considered to be interviewed for this position…The board fired the wrong person,” said Brooks.
Brooks concluded his remarks by demanding to be paid the amount allotted if fired for convenience. Under his employment contract, Brooks would be owed the remainder of his base salary and other payments through January of 2028 if fired for convenience.
However, following Brooks’ speech, the board voted to reaffirm their decision to fire him with cause effective immediately. Perez was the lone abstention, mirroring his move during the board’s initial vote to fire Brooks June 8.
“Marty’s legal and factual claims have no merit. And we’ll prove it in court,” said Marcus Corporation CEO Greg Marcus in brief remarks to reporters after the meeting.
“Marty gave a very impassioned plea…It doesn’t change the fact that Marty still broke the law, violated the employee handbook, [and] violated the bylaws of the Center District using taxpayer dollars,” said Kanter.
Kanter confirmed to WTMJ he received one of the custom LEGO sets purchased to celebrate the completion of the Baird Center expansion, but that there was no context around why it was given to him.
The board’s decision to uphold Brooks’ firing for cause could set the stage for a court battle. His attorney Stephen Kravit confirmed Brooks was first offered $380,000 to resign less than a week before his termination, then offered a $200,000 settlement just before the July 22 public hearing.
“This is a travesty. It’s not good for the district, and what’s going on in there is not good for the district,” said Kravitt referring to the board meeting in closed session to discuss firing Brooks for cause.
Kravit suggested a lawsuit could come this fall, but declined to specify a dollar amount Brooks would accept to avoid the matter going to court.
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