A year ago today, Baird Center opened the doors on a $456 million expansion that more than doubled the convention center in size. Drawing groups like AdeptiCon, USA Fencing and more, the project has redefined what is possible and marked our destination as a premier meetings and conventions destination. Thanks to the expansion, attendees are now discovering the bold, fresh flavors of the Good Land. And it’s just getting started.
In recognition of this transformational project’s first 365 days, we wanted to highlight our 365 favorite things about Baird Center, but we thought that might be a bit much. Instead, we chose 12 of our favorite moments of the state’s largest convention center’s first year.
Baird Center Expansion Opens with a Bang
May 16, a day that changed the game in Milwaukee’s meetings industry. Capping an expansion that grew Baird Center to 1.3 million square feet, added a 300,000 square foot exhibition hall, incorporated industry-leading sustainable features and so much more, the convention center's North Building opened its doors with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony.
After brief remarks by Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks, local elected officials, board members and community leaders, they cut the ribbon, opening the convention center expansion in front of “The Great Five,” a dazzling water feature representing each of the Great Lakes.
Later that evening, the Wisconsin Center District broke in their new digs with the Grand Opening Gala. The event welcomed over 1,100 guests and, in addition to the enchanting views of the city’s skyline from the Baird Sky View Terrace, attendees were treated to a performance by the one and only Idina Menzel.
Gala Giveaway: Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin
In the run-up to the expansion’s completion, the Wisconsin Center District team launched an ambitious initiative to give back to the community with the inaugural Gala Giveaway. Launched in January, non-profit organizations were encouraged to submit for a chance to win a complimentary gala in the new Baird Ballroom.
Now an annual giveaway, the very first winner was the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin (ASSEW). Hosting their event on June 15, the organization was one of 176 applicants for the 2024 Gala Giveaway. Thanks to the generosity of the Wisconsin Center District team, the gala was a smashing success. ASSEW was able to welcome 460 attendees with a goal of raising $360,000, both records for the organization.
2024 Republican National Convention
An approaching milestone on the horizon since 2022, the 2024 Republican National Convention rolled into town on July 15-18, shining the bright global spotlight not only on the political landscape but also on all the incredible things Milwaukee has to offer. Around 50,000 attendees from all over the country came to Milwaukee, alongside roughly 30,000 members of the media, as the Republican Party sought to confirm their nominee for president.
While the festivities took place inside Fiserv Forum each night, Baird Center’s Exhibit Hall E transformed into an enormous media filing center, with journalists from all over the world calling the convention center home as the RNC played out next door. Here, media filed their stories, held their standups and checked in with the Visit Milwaukee information desk for recommendations, expert lists and story ideas.
Connect Marketplace 2024
On the back of a momentous July, planners from across the country visited Milwaukee to meet the expanded Baird Center. Connect Marketplace 2024, a massive tradeshow that brought over 1,000 meeting planners and 2,000 exhibitor attendees to the destination for three days of networking, education sessions and one-on-one meetings.
While the event incorporated locations throughout the city, the vast majority of Connect Marketplace 2024 took place inside Baird Center’s Exhibit Hall E, which transformed into a wonderland of tradeshow booths, including interactive spaces like a puppy play place, a VR experience, a pickleball court and even appearances by the Famous Racing Sausages. The event culminated in a farewell reception inside the Baird Ballroom, which showed off the stunning new space to planners with a special performance by none other than Lil Jon himself. Turn down for what?
One of the top tradeshows in the U.S. for meeting planners, this event generated over $5.3 million in economic impact for Milwaukee and created leads that will continue to pack the convention center with everything from association annual meetings to sports tournaments for years to come.
Baird Center Flythrough Video
After a busy summer of events, it was time to show off the expansion to the world. In mid-September, the Wisconsin Center District team, along with the Visit Milwaukee team, worked together to coordinate a drone flythrough video, showcasing the expansion top-to-bottom (bottom-to-top, really). Used in strategic marketing campaigns promoting Milwaukee as a premier destination for meetings and conventions, the video gives planners a chance to see themselves in our city and envision the incredible experiences that await their attendees once they arrive.
Bonus: See if you can spot a few familiar faces in the video!
Badgerland Striders Lakefront Marathon
Before the starting gun, runners of the 42nd annual Lakefront Marathon made their way to Baird Center to pick up their packets. Over 3,500 participants had an opportunity to stretch their race-ready legs inside the recently opened expansion, as they received their race bib, explored the expo and traced the map one more time before race day. Just a few days later, the same athletes lined up outside of the South Building as they prepped to complete a feat of endurance as they began their marathon or half-marathon experience on Wisconsin Avenue.
Veolia Milwaukee Open
The world’s hottest sport set its sights on Milwaukee this November, giving us a new reason to be thankful for Baird Center’s North Building. Pickleball pros and aspiring players from across the region swarmed to Milwaukee to dink, serve and smash their way to pickleball prowess under the bright lights of Exhibit Hall E during the Veolia Milwaukee Open. Throughout the four-day event, 932 pickleball players went head-to-head for the right to call themselves champions in one of the five competitions – men’s singles and doubles, women’s singles and doubles, and mixed singles.
Wisconsin Center District Holiday Party
Under a mid-winter flurry, this year’s Wisconsin Center District holiday party took place inside the Baird Ballroom. Staff were able to relax, connect with each other and celebrate an incredible year while getting a chance to enjoy the new ballroom for themselves. With food stations around the room, interactive stations and photo opportunities, live karaoke, and even a live band performing throughout the evening, spirits were merry and bright.
Volleyball
Throughout the winter, Baird Center welcomes a ton of volleyball tournaments. In January alone, with just two events, the convention center welcomed nearly 30,000 visitors, including athletes and attendees. These two events – the 2025 JVA Boys' Brew City Battle and the 2025 Wisconsin Juniors Winter Classic – alone generated an estimated $3.7 million in economic impact. These two tournaments kicked off nine weekends of volleyball action this year in Baird Center, with the last one, the 2025 Grand Slam Tournament, kicking off later today.
LEED Gold Certification
Before the doors even opened on the expansion, the Wisconsin Center District had been pursuing the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Gold Certification for Baird Center. On February 24, their moment had arrived. This certification lauds projects that have gone above and beyond to incorporate sustainability into their building, placing Baird Center at the fore of convention centers that are leading the way for a greener future. This marks Baird Center as one of just 15 LEED Gold or Platinum-certified convention centers in the country.
Sustainability was top of mind in the design of the convention center’s new North Building, as it incorporated a series of green features to help limit its environmental impact. From the solar roof to the bird-friendly glass, the reclaimed urban wood incorporated on the collaboration stairs to the ORCA food digester that can divert 438 tons of food waste a year, the expansion’s innovative green features make the convention center an industry leader in sustainability.
2025 Adepticon
One of the world’s premier wargaming conventions rolled into Milwaukee in March. Taking place in the South Building on March 26-30, AdeptiCon is a rapidly growing event with a massive following that includes over 1,250 tournaments, games and seminars throughout the five-day event. Upon outgrowing their previous location, the expansion proved to be a missing link for AdeptiCon, enabling them to expand and break attendance records in just their first year in our city. We can’t wait for them to return in 2026 as they continue to grow, bringing this exciting event back to our city through 2028.
Finalist for eTSY Award
LEED Gold Certification. One of Exhibitor Magazine’s Centers of Excellence. Nearing the end of the first year of the Baird Center expansion, the convention center received plenty of recognition, awards and earned media buzz since cutting the ribbon and opening the doors a year ago. In April, the Wisconsin Center District team and Baird Center were named a finalist for eTourism Summit’s eTSY Awards, an honor that recognizes innovative and impactful tourism marketing campaigns each year.
One of three finalists for the Best Use of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, while the center’s green features sadly missed out on adding another piece of hardware to their collection, the buzz around the convention center is just beginning. With events like USA Wrestling and USA Fencing coming in 2025, and ASAE in 2034, after a year of the Baird Center expansion, the convention center continues to build more.
Learn more about Baird Center and bring your next event to a convention center built for big moments.
