BizConnections VOLUME 26, NUMBER 10 | OCT 12, 2020
GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR
126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120 PHONE: 414-277-8181 FAX: 414-277-8191 WEBSITE: www.biztimes.com CIRCULATION: 414-336-7100 | circulation@biztimes.com ADVERTISING: 414-336-7112 | advertising@biztimes.com EDITORIAL: 414-336-7120 | andrew.weiland@biztimes.com REPRINTS: 414-336-7100 | reprints@biztimes.com
PUBLISHER / OWNER Dan Meyer dan.meyer@biztimes.com
SALES & MARKETING
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Mary Ernst mary.ernst@biztimes.com COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT / OWNER Kate Meyer kate.meyer@biztimes.com
EDITORIAL EDITOR Andrew Weiland andrew.weiland@biztimes.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lauren Anderson lauren.anderson@biztimes.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Arthur Thomas arthur.thomas@biztimes.com REPORTER Brandon Anderegg brandon.anderegg@biztimes.com REPORTER Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com
Miller time in Milwaukee
REPORTER Alex Zank alex.zank@biztimes.com
This late 1930s or early ‘40s photo shows the Miller High Life Spa tavern at 502 W. Wisconsin Ave. in downtown Milwaukee. The building has since been razed and the Wisconsin Center is now located on the site. The Miller Time Pub and Grill is currently located across the street at 509 W. Wisconsin Ave. — Photo courtesy of Historic Photo Collection/Milwaukee Public Libary
COMMENTARY
Huge win for Road America WHEN SPORTS FANS THINK ABOUT the most iconic venues in Wisconsin, Lambeau Field is obviously at the top of the list. What probably does not come to mind for most, but should, are the state’s iconic race tracks: the Milwaukee Mile and Road America. Some of the biggest stars in the history of auto racing have competed at these historic tracks. But today, the status of Road America and the Milwaukee Mile could not be more different. One is thriving and the other is in decline. The Milwaukee Mile, located at State Fair Park in West Allis, opened in 1903 and is the oldest operating motor speedway in the world. In its heyday the Milwaukee Mile was regularly the next race on the Indy Car circuit after the Indianapolis 500. But with the demise of Milwaukee IndyFest in 2015, the Mile has not hosted a major professional auto race in five years. 46 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 12, 2020
Racing returned to the track last year with the ARCA Midwest Tour, a regional developmental stock car series held mostly at tracks in smaller Midwestern cities. That and other smaller racing events planned for the Milwaukee Mile this year were canceled due to COVID-19. Even when such events can be held again, there’s little indication big time auto racing will ever return to the Mile. The picture is much brighter at Road America, the 4-mile-long road racing course that opened in 1955 near Elkhart Lake in Sheboygan County. NASCAR announced recently that it will bring a Cup Series race to Road America next year. This is a big deal. NASCAR’s Cup Series is its top racing series. All of the biggest stars in stock car racing compete in it. NASCAR has held Xfinity Series races (NASCAR’s second-tier series) at Road America since 2010. Getting NASCAR’s Cup Series is a huge upgrade for Road America compared to the Xfinity Series. It’s like going from having a AAA baseball team to getting a Major League team. Compared to the Milwaukee Mile, which is also used for State Fair parking and concerts, Road America is a much busier place. It hosts
DIRECTOR OF SALES Linda Crawford linda.crawford@biztimes.com CONTENT SOLUTIONS MANAGER Maggie Pinnt maggie.pinnt@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Paddy Kieckhefer paddy.kieckhefer@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Christie Ubl christie.ubl@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Dylan Dobson dylan.dobson@biztimes.com
ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR Sue Herzog sue.herzog@biztimes.com
PRODUCTION & DESIGN GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alex Schneider alex.schneider@biztimes.com ART DIRECTOR Shelly Tabor shelly.tabor@biztimes.com
Independent & Locally Owned — Founded 1995 —
more than 500 events each year. Major races were still held there this year, despite the pandemic. The addition of a NASCAR Cup Series race at Road America will bring another big-time sporting event to Wisconsin. The popularity of auto racing has declined some, but NASCAR still has a huge following. When the time comes that we can again gather in large crowds, the draw for the Cup Series race at Road America will be significant. Wisconsin racing fans will be eager to see top stock car drivers compete. At the same time, NASCAR has pulled out of Chicagoland Speedway, which could prompt Illinois racing fans to flock to Road America as well. After a rough 2020, the Ryder Cup and NASCAR could provide a boost to the area’s hospitality industry next year. n
ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR
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