Businesses Downtown Prepare for NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee

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The University of Wisconsin getting assigned to Fiserv Forum for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament gave the city of Milwaukee another team to root for. It also gave the businesses near the arena a chance to host large crowds in town for basketball.

DOC’s Commerce Smokehouse is a southern-inspired barbeque restaurant located on the corner of Wells and Vel. R Philips in downtown Milwaukee. The restaurant is preparing for increased numbers for the tournament’s opening round as well as the Milwaukee Bucks playoff run beginning in April. Manager Matthew Edwards is expecting some larger numbers as the city heats up in the spring.

“I’m pretty excited for the restaurant for the coming months,” Edwards said. “Our team is ready for a pretty good push with the Badgers in town. Hopefully, when they win, the crowd will be back for the second game. We have some gameday deals going on that should attract some avid barbeque lovers. Milwaukee is going to be a sports hub for the summer, and we will be ready. With all the beer, whiskey, and bourbon we have, the restaurant will do great during that time.”

DOCS’s Commerce Smokehouse is not the only business around the entertainment district that looks to reap the benefits of the busy season downtown. With tons of conventions at the Wisconsin Center and the plethora of concerts and sporting events, there will be money flowing everywhere.

Local fans of the Bucks are looking to spend a fair amount of time at the “Deer District” this summer. Luke Scheel is a Bucks fan who looks to spend some time downtown cheering on his team

“I’m excited to see the team make another push for a title this year,” Scheel said. “Last year when I saw the team win the NBA finals, I thought that was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Now, I feel like, with the energy the city has, this can be something that can happen every year.”

“I usually will go to different restaurants and bars to have some drinks and food, so I am excited to do it all over again while cheering on the team.”

For the March Madness tournament, Multiple schools around the state are on spring break so even more increased numbers will be in the city during the first couple of rounds. Whether they use the time to study is entirely up to them.