GREEN BAY – On Wednesday, the Packers submitted a letter to the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District requesting it step in due to Mayor Eric Genrich refusing to meet over an extension to the lease agreement for Lambeau Field, among other persisting issues.
The Packers are seeking a long-term commitment for utilization of Lambeau Field in order to proceed with $1.5 billion in projects to renovate and upgrade the stadium, without taxpayer funds, over the next 20-30 years. The current lease agreement is set to expire in 2032.
The Packers' proposal goes against the norm of professional sports teams requesting public money for stadium development, expansion, renovation and maintenance.
Since the Packers first approached the Mayor regarding lease discussions in 2020, the organization has made three written lease proposals to the city of Green Bay, but Genrich has failed to respond to any of the proposals or offer a counter. In January, Genrich walked away from negotiations, citing the need for the city to receive increased rent payments, even though the city would not be making any future investments in the stadium.
"The Packers presented a plan that is the best approach any city could want, a plan that does not request any public tax money to cover the needs for Lambeau Field into the foreseeable future," said Aaron Popkey, director of public affairs for the Packers. "In contrast, other pro sports cities have needed to contribute substantial taxpayer subsidies for their stadiums."
The stalled talks led to the cancellation of the Packers' plans for a budgeted $80 million upgrade to the lower concourse this past offseason and is leading to the ongoing delay and cancellation of additional stadium projects and developments. The organization fears costs could grow precipitously the longer it waits to begin renovations, which could regrettably require taxpayer contributions down the line.
After Genrich ceased negotiations in January, he conditioned any further discussions on first meeting with Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy. At his request, that meeting occurred in May. It took four months to then schedule the next meeting, scheduled for Sept. 19, but Genrich cancelled on less than 24 hours' notice and has yet to reschedule.
In the letter to the Stadium District, the public body representing all of Brown County and its interests related to the stadium, the Packers claim Genrich is insisting taxpayer money be used for Lambeau Field maintenance and improvements, so "some of that money would flow through the stadium to the City."
Since the 2003 Lambeau Field redevelopment, the Packers have invested more than $600 million in improvements without using taxpayer funds. Despite the need to contribute only $334,000, from 1957 through 1977, to the stadium's original construction and initial improvement costs, the city of Green Bay receives more than $1 million annually in rent and administrative fees.
The Packers' current lease proposal includes continued rent payments but without the annual increases the city is insisting upon. The Packers are proposing a flattening of rent payments in exchange for assuming all annual maintenance costs going forward, now that the Stadium District's maintenance fund established from the 2003 renovation will be exhausted in 2031, one year before the current lease expires.
Also in the letter, the Packers are protesting Genrich's desire to eliminate the Stadium District to directly control Lambeau Field, which the organization feels would be "disenfranchising Brown County and all of its constituent municipalities other than the city of Green Bay."
The Stadium District's dissolution also would be counterproductive to the core reason for its creation, providing a voice to all those municipalities with a stake in Lambeau Field while minimizing political influence in how it's run.
More recently, Genrich also has combed the periphery of Lambeau Field operations, even trying to influence the on-field health care of Packers and NFL players and challenging the organization's replacement of obsolete railings inside the stadium bowl.
"The District's involvement is crucial to this process," said Popkey. "The wisdom behind its creation has been on full display with these actions of the mayor."
The Packers have submitted a formal letter of compliance to the Stadium District in response to Genrich's recent claims. Due to Genrich's unwillingness to engage in lease talks, the Packers are looking to develop a long-term lease proposal with the Stadium District that can be presented to the city of Green Bay.
"It's a shame that we're unable to get a meeting with him to discuss this crucial issue," said Popkey. "Our plan remains feasible, but the longer the delay, the more it costs and further jeopardizes our ability to engage it without requiring public subsidy."
