Wisconsin businesses have been paid nearly $182 million for work performed on the Lambeau Field redevelopment project. That's nearly three-quarters of the total construction costs to date.

"We're very impressed with the way the numbers are coming in, not only for Wisconsin businesses, but for minority-owned businesses, as well as businesses in Brown County," said John Jones, Green Bay Packers Executive Vice President and COO. "From the very start of this project, we wanted to be sure state, local and minority businesses played significant roles in the construction."

The latest Targeted Business Report for the Lambeau Field project indicates that $181,940,851 was paid to Wisconsin-based businesses, representing 71.8% of the $247,910,700 in construction costs to date.

The report also indicates that Minority-owned businesses received $36,093,177, or 14.6% of the total, while Brown County-based businesses were paid $87,124,732, or 35.1% of the construction costs.

"These numbers show that the plan we put into place with Turner Construction to ensure minority, state and local participation in the project were successful," said Stu Zadra, project manager of Hammes Co. "We're very pleased with the work that's been performed and we know the companies involved in this project are very proud of what's been accomplished."

Carla Cross of Cross Management Services is monitoring the targeted business requirements for the project. "We had an advisory council which played a valuable role in the process," Cross said. "The council worked hard with the construction team to try to meet the goals that were set for the project."

Packers Corporate Counsel Jason Wied adds that the 35.1% figure for Brown County-based businesses is impressive. "People should understand that for some parts of the project, the steel work for example, there are only a few specialized companies in the Midwest that can do the work," Wied said. "So, to have more than a third of the project done by Brown County companies is significant."

The three-year, $295 million dollar Lambeau Field redevelopment project is scheduled to be completed in late summer, in time for the start of the Packers 2003 season. The project increases the seating capacity of the historic stadium by about 10,000 and improves fan safety and pedestrian traffic flow with a wider lower concourse and the addition of an upper concourse. The project also includes the addition of the 365-thousand square foot Lambeau Field Atrium, a year-round destination point featuring meeting and event facilities, interactive exhibits, restaurants, Packers Pro Shop, Packers Hall of Fame and more.