Republican National Convention organizers are in the final, 100-day sprint to the Milwaukee event

The 2024 Republican National Convention kicks off in downtown Milwaukee in fewer than 100 days.

Organizers on Monday said major contracts are all in place, and the convention had spent $1.5 million in the city so far on restaurants and events.

The RNC, which will take place from July 15-18, is expected to draw tens of thousands of people to the city and region. Its primary venues are the Fiserv Forum, UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center.

State delegations have been assigned to their hotels. The transportation contract is in place.

Now, the final sprint.

"We are truly excited about what's in front of us," said Anne Hathaway, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee team that's organizing the event known as the Committee on Arrangements.

With hotels assigned, organizers expect delegations will now start spending time in the city and booking venues, restaurants and other events for July, she said during the spring RNC media walkthrough.

Organizers' focus will also turn to the program for the multi-day television show that is a national political convention.

Build-outs of the stage and other convention decor will also be taking place, much of it outside the public eye, she said.

Former President Donald Trump is expected to be the nominee taking that stage come July.

Trump is all but certain to be nominated for the party's national ticket toward the end of the multi-day event. He has secured enough delegates to become the presumptive Republican nominee.

President Joe Biden is also the presumptive nominee on the Democratic side, and he is expected to be nominated at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August.

That leaves voters to weigh in on a 2020 rematch on Nov. 5.

Hathaway said a staff shake-up at the Republican National Committee would not change the Republican National Convention program.

"Our staff all remains, we're focused on delivering the convention and doing it on time and under budget," she said.

More: RNC may again adopt a party platform this year after not having one in 2020, Lara Trump says

Hathaway credited partners for helping make plans for transportation, production, hotel assignments, venue bookings and activities for delegates.

“The entire ... team has been hard at work laying the groundwork for a successful convention come July,” Hathaway said. “It takes the entire team, both of us on paid staff and those of us in the community, to make sure that we’re working hard to complete our work and to finish our planning and preparations.”

Local officials including Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and Fire Chief Aaron Lipski were at the event but did not give remarks.

“Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson has been a big partner to us throughout our whole journey here in Milwaukee,” Hathaway said.

Johnson and RNC host committee chairman Reince Priebus spoke at the fall event for media, but neither spoke Monday. Hathaway said Priebus was expected to be in the city Tuesday.

Alison Dirr can be reached at [email protected]. Hope Karnopp can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @hopekarnopp.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee RNC organizers are in the final, 100-day sprint