Milwaukee's new streetcar line is expected to open in 2018, and riders won't have to pay for a ride for another year, thanks to a lucrative sponsorship deal.
The city of Milwaukee announced a new partnership with the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino that will rake in $10 million for the city's forthcoming streetcar system over 12 years, including enough funding to cover the costs of a year's worth of rides for users of the system.
In exchange for the sponsorship, the system will be called "The Hop, presented by Potawatomi Hotel & Casino."
"The name 'The Hop' was developed as part of a branding process conducted in 2016 with the help of a community input panel," according to a press release by the city of Milwaukee. "The Phase 1 line is expected to begin service in fall 2018 and the Lakefront Line will follow in coordination with the construction of The Couture development."
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