baird center
Baird Center is Milwaukee's convention center, operated by the Wisconsin Center District, serving convention organizers, trade show exhibitors, corporate event planners, and wedding clients with 1.3 million sq ft of event space including a 300,000 sq ft exhibition hall and 52 meeting rooms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersMilwaukee, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What baird center does
Baird Center is Milwaukee's premier convention center, owned and operated by the Wisconsin Center District, a government/state entity. Originally opened in 1998 as the Midwest Express Center and later renamed Wisconsin Center, it was rebranded Baird Center in May 2024 following a $456 million expansion and modernization project that doubled facility size to 1.3 million total square feet. The venue serves convention and conference organizers, trade show exhibitors, corporate event planners, wedding clients, and nonprofit organizations through a horizontally-segmented service model. Core offerings include 300,000 contiguous square feet of exhibition space, 52 state-of-the-art meeting rooms, a rooftop Baird Ballroom accommodating up to 2,000 guests, and a 400-space parking garage with 22 loading docks.
Revenue is generated primarily through venue rental, food and beverage services delivered via an exclusive partnership with Levy Restaurants, parking services, and all-inclusive corporate holiday party packages. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; major bookings flow through an RFP submission process managed by a direct sales team of Sales Account Managers and a Special Events Account Manager. Distribution combines enterprise field sales with self-service online booking for smaller events and weddings, complemented by a tourism referral partnership with Visit Milwaukee.
The venue is operationally and technologically differentiated by LEED Gold certification (solar roof panels, water retention system, bird-friendly fritted glass), KultureCity sensory accessibility certification, and the We Energies Foundation Art Collection featuring 35 artists (21 from Wisconsin). Title sponsorship by Robert W. Baird & Co., Molson Coors, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee anchors commercial positioning, while operational partnerships with Ticketmaster, SpotHero, Stone Creek Coffee, and Ben & Jerry's round out the on-site service ecosystem.
baird center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- baird center
- Legal name
- Wisconsin Center District
- Website
- https://bairdcenter.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Baird Center is Milwaukee's convention center, operated by the Wisconsin Center District, serving convention organizers, trade show exhibitors, corporate event planners, and wedding clients with 1.3 million sq ft of event space including a 300,000 sq ft exhibition hall and 52 meeting rooms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
baird center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Convention Center & Event Venue Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB), Conference & Convention Center Catering (THAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where baird center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milwaukee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
baird center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Venue Rental: Rental fees for exhibition halls, meeting rooms, ballrooms, and event spaces for conventions, conferences, trade shows, and special events
- Food and Beverage Services: Catering and dining services provided through partnership with Levy Restaurants
- Parking Services: 400-space indoor parking garage and nearby parking facilities
- Corporate Event Services: All-inclusive corporate holiday party packages including catering, AV, staging, décor, and event management
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | Multi-year contract | Corporate Holiday Party Packages - All-inclusive event packages with flexible configurations |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
baird center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Baird Center is Milwaukee's premier convention center providing venue rental and event hosting services for conventions, conferences, trade shows, corporate events, weddings, and galas. The 1.3 million-square-foot facility features 300,000 contiguous square feet of exhibition space, 52 meeting rooms, and a rooftop Baird Ballroom accommodating up to 2,000 guests. Complementary services include food and beverage catering through Levy Restaurants, AV infrastructure, event management, parking, and exhibitor support.
Product overview
Baird Center is a convention center operated by the Wisconsin Center District in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The facility operates as a single unified venue offering event hosting services, rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core product is convention and event venue rental, supplemented by related services including corporate holiday party packages, wedding services, trade and consumer show facilities, meetings and conferences, exhibitor support services, and planner resources. The venue also features the We Energies Foundation Art Collection as a cultural amenity and runs an annual Gala Giveaway community program. The expansion completed in May 2024 doubled the facility to 1.3 million square feet with 52 meeting rooms and 300,000 square feet of exhibition space.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Convention and Event Venue Milwaukee's premier convention center offering comprehensive venue rental services for conventions, conferences, trade shows, corporate events, and special occasions. The facility features 300,000 contiguous square feet of exhibition space, 52 state-of-the-art breakout rooms, and the rooftop Baird Ballroom with panoramic city views.
- Corporate Holiday Parties All-inclusive corporate holiday celebration packages featuring customizable menus, premium AV and staging, dedicated event planning team, and flexible event spaces for groups from 50 to 500+ attendees. Includes promotional incentives such as complimentary festive upgrades and room rental for bookings made by December 28, 2026 for events between November 1, 2026 and February 28, 2027.
- Weddings Wedding venue services at Baird Center featuring customizable spaces and the rooftop Baird Ballroom with city views from the Baird Sky View Terrace for ceremonies and receptions.
- Trade and Consumer Shows Exhibition and trade show venue services including exhibitor resources, floor plans, maps, exhibitor kits, booth map templates, and hanging sign forms. The 300,000 sq ft of contiguous exhibition space and 22 loading docks support large-scale trade shows.
- Meetings and Conferences Meeting room and conference facilities with 52 state-of-the-art breakout rooms, internet and Wi-Fi services, audio-visual capabilities, and comprehensive event services for corporate and association meetings.
- Exhibitor Services Comprehensive support services for exhibitors including floor plans, maps, virtual tours, exhibitor kits, booth templates, and how-to guides for successful trade show participation at Baird Center.
- Gala Giveaway Program Annual contest providing a Milwaukee-area 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization a complimentary gala experience in the rooftop Baird Ballroom, valued at $65,000-$63,000, including venue rental, catering for up to 500 guests, and audiovisual credits. The 2027 winner is Little Warrior Foundation.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,300 full-time equivalent jobs supported in Wisconsin
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use baird center
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
baird center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
baird center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor, corporate sponsor, preferred business partner, title sponsor and operational partner.
- Woodland PatternminorPublic art collaboration for 'Portals & Installations: Celebrating Wisconsin Writing' featuring artist Jill Sebastian.
- SpotHerocorporate sponsorParking partnership announced May 2026 for digital parking reservations at Baird Center.
- Little Warrior Foundationminor2027 Gala Giveaway winner receiving complimentary gala experience valued at $65,000. Nonprofit focused on Ewing sarcoma research.
- Ben & Jerry'spreferred business partnerPreferred business partner with location at Milwaukee Third Ward.
- Stone Creek Coffeecorporate sponsorNew coffee partnership announced October 2025 for on-site coffee services.
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukeetitle sponsorTitle sponsor and operational partner, with skywalk connection to UWM Panther Arena and Miller High Life Theatre.
- Levy Restaurantsoperational partnerExclusive food and beverage catering partner providing culinary services for events at Baird Center.
- Ticketmasteroperational partnerPreferred ticketing partner for events at Baird Center venues.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
baird center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
baird center social profiles
Digital presencebaird center compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
baird center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
baird center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
baird center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
baird center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about baird center
What does baird center do?
Baird Center is Milwaukee's premier convention center providing venue rental and event hosting services for conventions, conferences, trade shows, corporate events, weddings, and galas. The 1.3 million-square-foot facility features 300,000 contiguous square feet of exhibition space, 52 meeting rooms, and a rooftop Baird Ballroom accommodating up to 2,000 guests. Complementary services include food and beverage catering through Levy Restaurants, AV infrastructure, event management, parking, and exhibitor support.
Is baird center a public or private company?
baird center is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was baird center founded?
baird center was founded in 1998.
Where is baird center based?
baird center is headquartered in Milwaukee, United States, in the North America region.
How does baird center make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Venue Rental is the primary driver. The others are food and Beverage Services, parking Services and corporate Event Services.
Does baird center have an API?
No public API is recorded for baird center.
What industry is baird center in?
baird center's product category is Convention Center & Event Venue Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAAAA, Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers), with a secondary code of THAHAAAB, Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues.