The Wisconsin Center District Board of Directors voted Monday to terminate President and CEO Marty Brooks for cause, ending his tenure at the agency that operates the Baird Center convention facility, Miller High Life Theatre and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
The board convened a special meeting and went into closed session to consider “the possible dismissal of a district employee” before reconvening in open session to take formal action on Brooks’ employment status.
Board members approved the termination unanimously with one abstention. Board member and Milwaukee Common Council President Jose Perez abstained after accusing Brooks of pinching his rear end at an event last fall. The Milwaukee Police Department investigated but determined that there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.
Brooks, 69, had led the Wisconsin Center District since January 2018. He oversaw the $456 million expansion of the convention center, which was completed ahead of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. His most recent three-year contract, approved in 2025, ran through January 2028 and included a base salary that would have ultimately risen to $445,000.
His firing followed weeks of closed-session discussions by the board. Sources indicated Brooks had cleared out his office in recent days and was unwilling to resign. Negotiations over a possible severance agreement had been underway but did not result in a resolution before the meeting, prompting the board to proceed with termination for cause.
Termination for cause, which includes reasons such as dishonesty, misrepresentation or fraud, requires 30 days’ notice and carries no severance pay under the terms of Brooks’ contract. A district spokesperson had previously declined to comment on personnel matters.
