The Milwaukee Marriott Trade Hotel is a brand-new Hotel, located in downtown Milwaukee right next door to the Fiserv Forum where the Milwaukee Bucks NBA team play. It is An Autograph Collection Hotel which makes it stand out as a premier lodging destination when looking for a hotel in Milwaukee. It officially opened on May 18, 2023. Being right next door to the Fiserv Forum, it will often serve as a lodging location for many of the NBA teams coming to Milwaukee to play the Bucks. In fact, the 4th floor has been outfitted with taller doors and other features designed around the taller NBA players.

Fearing’s Audio Video Security was selected as the AV Integrator for the AV portion of the  Milwaukee, WI project. Fearing’s was awarded the contract largely due to the excellent previous working relationship that Fearing’s had with NCG Hospitality, the operator of the hotel.

The AV portion of the Milwaukee-area project consisted of providing the installed AV presentation system for the dividable banquet rooms and multiple conference rooms, background music throughout the facility, and video systems for the three restaurants. Also included, Fearing’s installed the AV in the ultra-high-end Presidential Suite which encompasses a portion of the 8th and 9th floor and includes an outdoor terrace. The posted price on the suite is $10,000 a night. The Presidential Suite includes a high-end AV system that provided the music for the main living space.

The AV system consisted of QSC and Q-Sys audio products, Crestron control and NVX distribution equipment, Cisco Switches, Panasonic Projectors, Draper Screens, Shure microphones, and other assorted products.  The flat panel displays were provided by the owner.  As part of the Milwaukee project, Fearing’s also integrated the owner provided motorized shades, Lutron lighting system, and SONIFI TV video system, into the Crestron control system.           

Performing the work on this Milwaukee-area project was a strategic choice.  As Fearing’s AVS is lesser known as a system AV integrator in the Milwaukee region market versus the Madison market, which has been well established for years, they were looking for a signature project in Milwaukee that could be a springboard for their expansion in the region.  With the project now complete, that strategy is complete.

The Trade Hotel project was particularly challenging.  This was largely due to supply chain issues affecting the overall construction of the project. The windows for much of the building were delayed for months which pushed back drywall installation which then pushed back everything else.  At the same time, the completion date was not pushed back, condensing the time frame for all trades to complete their work, thus causing all trades to work around each other, and forcing starts and stops of work in different areas as once trade needed access to an area when another trade was already working in the same area.  As the low voltage contractor, Fearing’s often ended up the low man on the totem pole when it came to prioritizing but they adapted, and the project was a success.