Milwaukee Works To Draw Minority Conventions

MILWAUKEE— Tourism officials here are hoping to turn the citys image around when it hosts the National Association of Black Journalists (NAJB) and the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) conventions starting July 31— two events expected to infuse more than $2 million into the local economy. Attracting such groups to Milwaukee is expected to be a boon to the local black business community, and will mark a welcome change for Milwaukee, which remains one of the most hyper-segregated cities in the nation. According to the Journal Sentinel, many of the citys young black professionals continue to leave the areas for careers in such places as Atlanta, Houston and Washington, D.C. The Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau has scored a major coup by booking two prominent black conventions in the same week. NABJ will hold its convention from July 31 through Aug. 4 at the Midwest Express Center, bringing together 4,000 African-American journalists from every phase of print, broadcast, online and new media. The National Black Chambers meeting will be at the Pfister Hotel from Aug. 1 through 3 with 400 members expected to attend sessions on capital access, international trade and e-commerce. And from Aug. 2 to 4, African World Festival will take place on the citys lakefront. Recognizing the economic strength of the minority market, the citys visitors bureau has made a strategic move to aggressively pursue multicultural conventions and conferences. In 2005, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will hold its 96th annual convention in Milwaukee, which will bring together 12,000 attendees and pump an estimated $9.2 million into the local economy. The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce plans to hold its annual convention here in September 2005. SOURCE: Journal Sentinel, WI