Marty Brooks is appealing his firing as president and CEO of the Wisconsin Center District, the tax-supported agency that operates Baird Center, UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and Miller High Life Theatre.
That’s according to his attorney, Stephen Kravit. That appeal will include seeking an open session of the center district board to discuss the appeal, he said.
The board has scheduled a July 22 meeting for Brooks to make his appeal in an open session, a district spokesperson said.
The board voted June 8 to terminate Brooks’ contract. He’s on administrative leave until that termination occurs 30 days after the vote. That period expired on July 8 − the last day Brooks could file his appeal.
The board terminated Brooks’ contract due to misuse of district funds, violations of the bylaws and employee handbook, and misrepresentation to the board, according to a district statement.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on June 12 exclusively reported Brooks’ inappropriate credit charges included expensive restaurant meals, a private club membership, musical theater tickets and unspecified “professional services.”
That’s in addition to previously reported charges of political donations and luxury shoes.
Those taxpayer-supported expenses, totaling more than $50,000, are detailed in a district document obtained by the Journal Sentinel through an Open Records Act request.
The document provides other grounds for firing Brooks. Those include allegedly misrepresenting to the district board the nature of a recent report recommending a convention center hotel.
The board has substantial evidence the report’s conclusion “was predetermined before the study commenced,” the document said.
Neither Brooks nor Kravit has responded to requests for comment about those claims.
(This article was updated to add new information.)
Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram,Bluesky, X and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Marty Brooks is appealing his firing as Wisconsin Center District CEO
Reporting by Tom Daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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By Tom Daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
