Bucks home games to generate $3 million in activity, tourism bureau says

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The minute the Milwaukee Bucks closed out the Brooklyn Nets in overtime of Game 7, Visit Milwaukee celebrated.

"For each home playoff game, we think they bring about $3 million dollars to the community in economic impact," Visit Milwaukee Communications Director Claire Koenig said.

That includes $600,000 for hotels, $500,000 for bars and restaurants, $265,000 on retail spending and another $225,000 for transportation.

The Milwaukee Public Market said the money spreads far beyond the Deer District.

"A Bucks fan who's in Brookfield, who wants to make a six-hour, seven-hour trip to the city in the downtown area, to kind of spend some time in different areas before they go to the Deer District," Milwaukee Public Market Director Paul Schwartz said.

That increasingly includes fans of other teams traveling across the country. Hotels like Aloft on Old World 3rd Street have been ramping up quickly for the influx of customers.

"We are on target right now to sell out both Wednesday night and Friday night for these games coming up," Aloft Director of Sales Greta McCue said. "And we're already preparing in advance for a potential Game 5 or Game 7 here in Milwaukee."

Visit Milwaukee said the national media attention provides unquantifiable value as well.

"Showing the Milwaukee skyline over the course of six or seven games, showing these beautiful crowd shots of Fiserv Forum just looking alive and electric, there's nothing that can replace it," Koenig said.

Visit Milwaukee estimates games in an NBA Finals appearance would generate a significantly larger economic boost.