Commercial development drives Wisconsin hotel boom

Across the state, tower cranes have become a familiar fixture of city skylines in the midst of Wisconsin’s hotel construction boom.

“Projects include big hotel chains and boutique hotels,” said Trisha Pugal, president/CEO of the Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association.

While most hotel projects are going up in cities like Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay, smaller markets like Eau Claire and La Crosse are also developing new lodging.

Pugal credits major development projects like the new Milwaukee Bucks arena and Appleton’s recently opened Fox Cities Exhibition Center for spurring new hotel development. “For now, there’s no sign of a slowdown.”

— Rebecca Konya