When the now-complete Baird Center expansion broke ground in late 2021, it marked the beginning of something even bigger for Milwaukee’s meetings scene.
The $456 million multiyear project doubled the Baird Center’s size to 1.3 million total square feet—300,000 of which is contiguous exhibition space—and introduced the new Baird Ballroom and adjacent Baird Sky View Terrace overlooking the city.
The center celebrated the completion of its expansion in May 2024, but Milwaukee’s meetings makeover continues. New hotels are popping up around the city, others are undergoing renovations and new restaurants and offsite venues are opening left and right.
Here’s your catch up with “Cream City.” (And your chance to see it yourself! Planners, apply now to join us May 3-6 in Milwaukee for Meetings Today LIVE! National at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee.)
[Learn More About Meetings Today LIVE! National in Milwaukee]
Hotel News to Know
While work was underway on the Baird Center’s 52 breakout spaces and artists were creating the Milwaukee-centric pieces now hanging on its walls (and ceilings), The Trade, Autograph Collection rose up from the ground less than half a mile away in Milwaukee’s Deer District.
Offering 207 guest rooms and more than 9,000 square feet of space across the street from Fiserv Forum, home of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, The Trade is contemporary and luxurious, with an industrial-inspired design that celebrates Milwaukee’s hardworking history in foundational trades and manufacturing.
“The Trade is our first full-service hotel to open since the pandemic, and the whole vibe references the folks who built Milwaukee,” said Claire Hanan, vice president of communications and advocacy at Visit Milwaukee. “There are steel beams meant to look like the Hoan Bridge, lots of references to our manufacturing, pubs, breweries, all of that.
“And it’s our second Marriott Autograph Collection hotel,” Hanan noted. “The [NBA Milwaukee] Bucks developed it with NCG, which is a hospitality group that has a lot of Madison properties, so we love that they’re here in Milwaukee—and like it enough to continue building here.”
NCG Hospitality’s work in the Deer District is now focused on Moxy Milwaukee Downtown, a 156-room hotel expected to break ground sometime this year. The brand’s social-forward style will come through a bar that will double as check-in, a sidewalk-facing restaurant and a rooftop event venue that will overlook the neighborhood.
“It’s right next to Landmark Credit Union Live,” Hanan said, a new 4,500-plus capacity indoor concert venue that opened this month. The space features a three-story music hall, second-floor lounge, outdoor terrace and private event opportunities for 25 to 3,000.
With the new year came a new Hilton Milwaukee, which completed its $42 million renovation in December that honors the building’s 1927 Art Deco identity. The project included a redesigned lobby, restored architectural details, upgraded meeting spaces and a refresh of all 554 guest rooms.
“It’s Milwaukee’s biggest hotel,” Hanan said. “It’s stunning, gilded, Art Deco-style, and so the room renovation is fantastic because it’s definitely ornate and you get that historic vibe. And the Monarch Lounge has this beautiful, old-money cocktail lounge vibe; it’s stunning. People will have a lot of fun there.
“But one of the best parts about the Hilton, in my opinion, is the dog concierge, Millie,” Hanan continued. “She was the pup of a longtime concierge, and now she has a sister, Sadie. They’re so cute. They greet people, sometimes they’ll ride the luggage carts down the hallways, up the elevator and back down.”
They even have their own Instagram account, @millieandsadieatthehilton, with nearly 10,000 loyal followers.
Using 175 rooms of the Hilton’s west wing, Marcus Hotels & Resorts opened The Marc Hotel January 15. The independent property has its own entrances, access to Hilton Milwaukee’s 34,000 square feet of meeting space and a direct connection to the Baird Center via skywalk.
The management group’s portfolio also includes The Pfister Hotel, which completed a multiphase renovation and restoration in 2024 that renewed all 306 guest rooms, meeting rooms and event spaces. Another Marcus Hotels & Resorts property, Saint Kate–The Arts Hotel, introduced The Studio Kitchen & Cocktails last year, offering private dining in The Dark Room, an elevated hidden space within The Studio at Saint Kate that can accommodate up to 32 guests.
On the horizon, Tempo by Hilton Milwaukee is slated to break ground in 2026, with plans outlining a 158-room contemporary hotel with a rooftop restaurant, and AC Hotel by Marriott Milwaukee is scheduled to open in 2027, bringing 133 guest rooms to the Historic Third Ward neighborhood.
[Related: Meet the Diverse Small Business Owners Who Help Make Milwaukee Meetings a Success]
Out on the Town
Milwaukee’s hotel scene may be hot right now, but outside all those lobby doors are dozens of dining outlets and event venues on an ongoing hot streak of their own.
Literally just outside the doors of Hilton Milwaukee and across the street from the Baird Center, what was once an empty lot is now Vel R. Phillips Plaza, a 30,000-square-foot park perfect for breaks between sessions at the convention center, farmers markets, food trucks and other social events.
“Draft & Vessel, which is this company that owns these amazing beer bars, is opening a food and beverage concept in this plaza, steps from the Baird Center, perfect for attendees and planners,” Hanan said. “Having something right there is a big deal, especially for attendees.”
Milwaukee’s biggest theater company, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, completed a $90 million overhaul of its venue, which is connected to Saint Kate–The Arts Hotel. Now known as Associated Bank Theater Center, the space features three state-of-the-art performing venues—Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater, Herro-Franke Studio Theater and Stackner Cabaret—as well as event spaces, a full-service restaurant and an education center.
“We don’t have the exact opening date for this one, but it’s going to be one of the biggest restaurant openings of the year for us, and it’s whatever Bartolotta [Restaurants] is going to do with The Rumpus Room space that is in the heart of downtown, right across from City Hall and the [Marcus] Performing Arts Center,” Hanan said. “It used to be a kind of elevated restaurant/bourbon-bar concept for Bartolotta’s, but they’re very much giving it a big overhaul, and honestly, whenever Bartolotta’s does anything, it is very big, so that would be one for the radar, and would also be an awesome buyout.”
Lupi & Iris is another fine-dining restaurant Hanan recommends for groups, with a menu featuring cuisine from the French and Italian Riviera. Created by James Beard Award-winning chef Adam Siegel and his wife, Daria Aitken-Siegel, the restaurant honors the chef’s father-in-law and reflects “the joy of gathering over great meals.”
“Their private spaces are amazing,” Hanan said. “There are some glassed off [the main restaurant] a little bit, but behind the open-concept kitchen is another room with its own kitchen that you can totally close off from the main dining room and do a live chef, cooking class, demo, anything. I’ve been to lunches there, and you’re sitting like 70 maybe, with eight rounds. It’s sizable, and the food is incredible.”
[Related: How Visit Milwaukee and San Francisco Travel Add a Human Touch to AI]
Nearby News: Updates in Waukesha and Pewaukee
Meetings Today asked Meghan Wisner, group sales manager for the Waukesha Pewaukee CVB, to share the latest and greatest meetings and events developments in 2026. Planners: Here’s the news to know about these near-Milwaukee destinations.
Meetings Today: What’s new and exciting this year in Waukesha and Pewaukee?
Meghan Wisner: Waukesha and Pewaukee are excited about investments we are seeing in hotels, venues and meeting infrastructure across quite a few of our venues! We know planners want more flexibility, updated amenities and convenient access. We’re seeing more of that, all while maintaining our friendly, approachable vibe.
We are happy to share that the Waukesha County Expo Center is completing audiovisual and staging upgrades this year. The Expo offers 40,000 square feet of indoor space, conveniently located near I-94 and just a short drive from all of our destination hotels.
Also, one of our venues that is fantastic but maybe lesser known is right inside Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC)! The Anthony J. Natalizio (AJN) Center has just completed a full renovation, featuring over 17,000 square feet of meeting space with built-in AV, making it a surprisingly turnkey option for conferences, trainings and larger events.
What hotel projects are on the horizon?
The Cobblestone Hotel & Suites is getting ready to open in late summer 2026 in downtown Waukesha. The Cobblestone will offer 70 rooms within walking distance of unique shopping, dining and entertainment. The hotel will also feature Wissota Chophouse, an upscale steakhouse perfect for hosted dinners and small private events.
Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Marriott West will begin full sleeping room renovations in early spring 2026, following the previous updates made to its public spaces, which included their 10,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom.
What hotels and venues are popular choices for groups?
Thanks to convenient access off I-94 and complimentary parking across all of our hotel properties, planners have a wide range of strong options, each with their own flavor. Two venues naturally rise to the top for meetings and events simply due to their scale and flexibility.
The Ingleside Hotel offers 190 guest rooms and 40,000 square feet of meeting space, with ample room for both general sessions and separate breakouts. They have an outdoor pavilion and walking trails that provide a uniquely private setting for receptions and social events.
Milwaukee Marriott West features 281 guest rooms (with renovations underway) and 12,000 square feet of event space, creating memorable events in a modern, state-of-the-art environment.
Both hotels have long-tenured and experienced staff that get the job done, with some fun and personality, too!
How do groups meeting in the Greater Milwaukee incorporate Waukesha and Pewaukee into their itineraries?
Whether for offsite meetings, dining experiences or social outings, travel between downtown Milwaukee and Waukesha is convenient with our location right off I-94! Individual travelers commonly use Uber and Lyft for metro-to-metro transportation, while groups often rely on trusted local partners such as AAA Airport Express, MKE Shuttle and THINKLimo. These companies offer versatile fleets ranging from luxury vehicles to full-size motor coaches, making group movement super organized and less stressful.
Anything else our meeting planner readers should be aware of?
At the heart of Waukesha Pewaukee is our friendly, personal, no-nonsense approach to service. We pride ourselves on being easy to work with, responsive and genuinely invested in your success. Our team has been where you are, and we are ready to listen, get creative and serve as true partners!
