Meet-and-Greet Scheduled with Potential Convention Center Developers

The developers where and several antique stores currently are located will be in Waukesha at 7 p.m. Thursday at The Rotunda, 235 West Broadway.

The Common Council, Redevelopment Authority and Waukesha Business Improvement District Board of Directors have posted agendas announcing the public meeting.

“We are just at the very beginning of this process,” said

Officials from Partners in Development, which has indicated interest in the property and is funding  a survey to see if it is economically feasible to place a convention center in downtown Waukesha, will be arriving on Tuesday and staying through Friday, according to Scrima.

“As part of them being in town, they are going to be doing one on one interviews with some key community business leaders,” Scrima said.

Partners in Development also will be observing Freeman Friday Night Live, which could be an attraction for those staying at the convention center if it is built.

Scrima said Friday that he has been meeting with community business leaders who have given support to the concept of the convention center, including Generac and Cooper Power Systems.

“We have received positive feedback from community leaders, such as people from ProHealth Care, Carroll University, the Vistor;s Convention Bureau and a number of others,” Scrima said.

Additionally, Scrima also presented information about the convention center to the Downtown Business Association, the Business Improvement District’s Board of Directors and the West End Artists.

“All three of those groups gave support to the concept,” Scrima said.

The community is being asked for their feedback about the property and proposal as developers and property owners conduct an economic feasibility study for the possible development. The survey is being funded privately.

“Your feedback will assist a private development group in exploring the possible development of a full service, nationally affiliated convention center in downtown Waukesha,” Scrima wrote in an e-mail. “The proposed development would significantly enhance downtown Waukesha as a business, social and artistic destination, spurring economic growth throughout the region.”

A link to the survey can be found here. The survey could take two to three months to complete, and the project won’t be able to move forward until the study is completed.

Scrima said he had a conference call Friday morning with Partners in Development. So far, 403 people have taken the survey, and 141 people stated they had meeting space needs and 84 had banquet needs, Scrima said.