Parks Allows Advertising on Public Lakefront

Hupy and Abraham advertisement on N. Lincoln Memorial Parkway. Photo taken Oct. 20, 2025 by Graham Kilmer.

Milwaukee County Parks recently started selling what looks like commercial advertising space on public parkland along N. Lincoln Memorial Drive.

Signs advertising the personal injury law firm Hupy and Abraham went up along the county parkway in recent weeks. And many Milwaukee County residents are not happy.

The ads are part of a new business service for the department selling what it is calling “sponsorships” or “public service announcements” along the lakefront and a handful of other park properties.

“While parkland is not broadly available for general advertising, a few designated areas, such as light poles along Lincoln Memorial Drive, banner frames, dasher boards at Red Arrow Park, and dasher boards at Wilson Ice Rink, are approved for limited, time bound sponsorship banners that support public awareness, and in this case safety messages, while also helping to fund park operations,” Parks Communications Manager Allison Carlson told Urban Milwaukee.

As of Monday afternoon, there were six large Hupy and Abraham signs placed along N. Lincoln Memorial Drive. The signs urged drivers to “Watch For Motorcycles” and included the firm’s branding, web address and toll-free number. There was also a small Milwaukee County Parks insignia.

The chronically underfunded parks department generates the majority of its annual operating revenue through fees, business services, rentals and its popular beer gardens. But advertising on Lincoln Memorial Drive appears to be a bridge too far for county residents and the local county supervisor.

Sup. Sheldon Wasserman, whose district includes N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, told Urban Milwaukee he will try to stop any future commercial advertising along “one of the most beautiful streets in all Milwaukee County.” Wasserman said he has received a steady stream of angry feedback from constituents over the advertisements.

“They hate it, and they don’t like it, and to be honest with you I agree with them completely.”

Wasserman said he has already spoken with Parks Executive Director Guy Smith about the ads and the department will re-evaluate its advertising policy.

The City of Milwaukee’s Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) also told Urban Milwaukee the signs appear to run afoul of local zoning.

“Signs of this nature would require a city permit,” said Jeremy McGovern, DNS communications director. “We had a productive discussion with Milwaukee County representatives and look forward to helping them navigate the sign permit process in the future.”

The signs were taken down Monday evening. It was the end of a contractual sponsorship term, according to Parks. The contract was for 15 days. Parks received approximately $2,500 for the advertisements, according to Wasserman.

“Milwaukee County Parks relies on revenue-generating opportunities to help fund the maintenance, programming, and improvement of our parks system,” Carlson said. “Partnerships and sponsorships like this one allow us to continue providing high-quality public spaces and experiences for the community, despite ongoing budget constraints.”

The county parks system does not have a dedicated source of revenue. As county budgets have shrunk, and struggled under annual budget deficits, the department has been starved of funding and staff. There is a backlog of maintenance and infrastructure needs estimated at approximately $500 million over the next five years.

Parks has responded to diminishing public support with business services, new fees and revenue generating amenities to support its own annual operating budget. Golf, in particular, has become a critical amenity for the system, generating roughly 25% of the department’s operating revenue in 2024.

Parks officials estimate the department’s fees and services will be able to generate 58% of its $50.6 million operating budget in 2026.

“So the push in that department has been make money, make money, make money,” Wasserman said. “But I draw the line, and my district draws the line, specifically, on advertising on Lincoln Memorial Drive.”

Update: This story was updated with information from Milwaukee County Parks provided after publishing, noting that the contract with Hupy and Abraham was for 15 days and that parks considers the signs “sponsorships” rather than advertisements.