“Betting on Beloit” is an A&E TV series starring Wisconsin billionaire Diane Hendricks and her daughter, Konya Hendricks-Schuh, as the two work to restore and renovate Wisconsin homes. Konya’s husband Matt Schuh, as well as project manager Pete Woodkey and realtor Connor Fox, collaborate with them to purchase, fix and resell decaying properties. By remodeling and revitalizing these old homes, which are otherwise often too unsafe or uncomfortable to be worth their historic value, the Hendricks family hopes to instill a similar vitality in the community itself.
Each house comes with its own unique challenges, often attributed to the age and layout of the house. The primary focus is on regaining sound structure and renewing the space with additions that will appeal to potential buyers — such as garages, extra bathrooms and increased space — while maintaining the original layout as much as possible. In spite of technical difficulties, they usually find a solution, even if it requires sacrificing a particular feature. While the houses often start off decrepit and falling apart at the seams, they end with newfound splendor worthy of their years. In the show’s second season, which came out Sept.12, 2026, they purchased two different homes on Church Street and Emerson Street from our very own Beloit College to renovate. This season also touches on concerns about unsold houses from Season 1’s renovations and furthering the project.
The show itself is decently engaging, to the extent that any home renovation series is capable of. There’s some humor and humanity sprinkled throughout the discussions about the requirements of the upgrades, and casual conversations to break up the technical jargon. However, like with most home renovation shows, the repetitive structure is not for weak attention spans, and you have to be genuinely interested in home design and construction to truly engage with it.
To me, the greatest virtue of “Betting on Beloit” lies in preserving the historic integrity of the houses. With many home renovation shows, it usually pains me to see unique architecture that’s hundreds of years old gutted and simplified into modern minimalist emptiness, with a nice coat of slate gray to finish. Luckily, the show instead salvages as much of these properties as possible, honoring the bygone yet unique craftsmanship and culture they represent. Older homes are also often more sustainable, which is beneficial for the local environment.
However, all of the final houses end up being sold at prices ranging from $400,000 up to a high of $800,000, set by the single-family home of 730 Park Ave. Though these numbers usually match, or are even slightly lower than what was invested, they’re not affordable to the average Beloiter, especially in current times, where many families struggle with rising everyday costs. Though the show claims to revolve around uplifting the community, such high prices will only cater to wealthier home buyers from outside of Beloit while raising the cost of living. Is it community-building, or gentrification? In ‘turning this town around’, as the opening claims, will it become ultimately unrecognizable?
I appreciated the way “Betting on Beloit” respected the original structure while reinvigorating homes, though I have to wonder about how these renovations could impact the future of Beloit. While they certainly have the potential to improve the life and population of the city, the economic impact stands to be questioned. We’ll have to see in the coming years as the show continues, and as the Hendricks continue their mission to save Beloit homes from disrepair.
Featured image: Betty Cavicchia’28
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