baird center

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.

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

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

• Convention venue rental
• Trade show facilities
• Corporate event hosting
• Meeting room services
• Wedding and gala venues

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental: Rental fees for exhibition halls, meeting rooms, ballrooms, and event spaces for conventions, conferences, trade shows, and special events
2. Food and Beverage Services: Catering and dining services provided through partnership with Levy Restaurants
3. Parking Services: 400-space indoor parking garage and nearby parking facilities
4. Corporate Event Services: All-inclusive corporate holiday party packages including catering, AV, staging, décor, and event management

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core 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

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor, corporate sponsor, preferred business partner, title sponsor and operational partner.

• Woodland PatternminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2026Public art collaboration for 'Portals & Installations: Celebrating Wisconsin Writing' featuring artist Jill Sebastian.
• SpotHerocorporate sponsorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026Parking partnership announced May 2026 for digital parking reservations at Baird Center.
• Little Warrior FoundationminorOthers · 22 April 20262027 Gala Giveaway winner receiving complimentary gala experience valued at $65,000. Nonprofit focused on Ewing sarcoma research.
• Ben & Jerry'spreferred business partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Preferred business partner with location at Milwaukee Third Ward.
• Stone Creek Coffeecorporate sponsorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025New coffee partnership announced October 2025 for on-site coffee services.
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukeetitle sponsorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2024Title sponsor and operational partner, with skywalk connection to UWM Panther Arena and Miller High Life Theatre.
• Levy Restaurantsoperational partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2024Exclusive food and beverage catering partner providing culinary services for events at Baird Center.
• Ticketmasteroperational partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 May 2024Preferred ticketing partner for events at Baird Center venues.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/BairdCenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/BairdCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/baird-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/bairdcenter

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about baird center