Packers 2025 NFL Draft - Photo by MWC Tom Schumacher
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Visit Wausau Convention and Visitor’s Bureau estimates that the region saw a quarter to half-million dollar boost during the week of the NFL Draft in Green Bay.
Executive Director Tim White says typical hotel occupancy for the 3rd week of April is around 50%. “We saw Tuesday and Wednesday lodging occupancy was 78% to 80%. So we did much better than previous week threes for April.”
About 70 people took advantage of stay and shuttle packages from Wausau to Titletown, with many taking the bus multiple days. Those guests were also treated to welcoming kits that included information on local businesses and a relocation guide. White says he thinks those efforts made a good first impression on those guests, some of whom came from as far away as Kentucky and the Dakotas. “We want to be able to work together with one voice so that the visitor says, ‘this is a great place.’ Especially when people come from an urban environment and they see the value that is the Wausau area. That’s the biggest thing,” said White.
Official attendance numbers from the NFL show a total of 600,000 people attended the event over three days. That number double- or triple-counts anyone who attended multiple days.
White says the event showed the importance of communication and keeping everyone involved in the process, which will be valuable for future events. “Everyone wants to be involved, communicated with [so they can] be a part of rolling out the red carpet for visitors. Whether that’s offering special deals or itineraries, that is the number one thing.”
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