Milwaukee Mile At Wisconsin State Fair Park Drives Economic Boost That Exceeds Expectations With Indycar’s Return

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (February 6, 2025) — Wisconsin State Fair Park officials are proud to showcase the impressive economic impact generated by last year’s INDYCAR race weekend at the historic Milwaukee Mile in a new study created in partnership with University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Fiscal and Economic Research Center.

The 2024 Milwaukee Mile 250s Weekend brought an estimated impact of $41 million, exceeding Wisconsin State Fair Park officials’ initial projection of $25 million.

This study analyzed the direct and indirect economic impacts made during the Milwaukee Mile 250s over Labor Day Weekend, August 30 – September 1, 2024. These include immediate benefits like jobs created at the venue and the revenue from attendees and vendors directly associated with the event. The impact extends beyond the Milwaukee Mile as the surge of race fans, many from out-of-town, boosted the economy through increased hotel stays and visits to local restaurants and shopping areas.

As the first INDYCAR event hosted at the historic one-mile oval track since 2015, the 2024 Milwaukee Mile 250s Weekend welcomed 42,025 fans over the three-day event. Key takeaways from the study highlight Milwaukee area stays and spending value in categories like lodging, transportation, and food & beverage. Notable statistics from the recent study include:

• An impact of $41 million to the local economy
• On average, travel parties spent $607 on lodging over the weekend, $262 on transportation to and from the event, $230 in food & beverages purchased on non-race days, and $123 in food & beverages purchased on race days
• Lodging: 30.4% of attendees spent three nights in the Milwaukee area, 24% spent two nights, and 15% spent four nights
• Transportation: 64.4% of attendees traveled more than 50 miles to arrive at the Milwaukee Mile at Wisconsin State Fair Park
• Generation of 360 direct and indirect jobs with an estimated $13.4 million in labor income

While the doubleheader race brought in millions of dollars in economic impact, Wisconsin State Fair Park officials know the effect is far greater than just financial – the success of the event strengthens community engagement while heightening overall interest in Wisconsin tourism.

“Our commitment to creating a successful and enjoyable event was fueled not only by the potential economic impact, but our community’s investment in the Milwaukee Mile,” said Shari Black, CEO and Executive Director of Wisconsin State Fair Park. “While this is just one of our many events, it opens the door to an even larger impact as visitors are exposed to Wisconsin State Fair Park has to offer as well as Milwaukee as a whole.”

The weekend of racing exceeded expectations not just in terms of its economic impact, but across the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as well. Several competition records were broken, and several awards were clinched over the action-packed weekend, leading to a value of $160 million in earned media and delivering an unforgettable experience for fans.

With state funding through Wisconsin State Fair Park partners, more than $3 million in track improvements are invested in the facility infrastructure and allow these races to thrive on the track. More in track enhancements are in the works and will be completed before next season’s INDYCAR weekend scheduled for August 23 – 24, 2025.

For this study, UW-Whitewater Fiscal and Economic Research Center (FERC) utilized IMPLAN to give quantitative assessment of Milwaukee Mile’s impact on the Milwaukee area and Wisconsin as a whole. By utilizing IMPLAN, the FERC was able to meticulously assess the ripple effects of such a significant sporting event on the local and regional economy. IMPLAN is an input-output method of measuring economic impact.

Momentum is already starting to build for this year’s Milwaukee Mile 250 Weekend. Learn more on our website here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.