Packers 2025 NFL Draft - Photo by MWC Tom Schumacher
GREEN BAY, WI (WSAU) — Governor Tony Evers has announced a $1.8 million grant to the City of Green Bay to offset public safety costs from the 2025 NFL Draft.
“The 2025 NFL Draft was a booming success, and I’ve said all along that nobody could have pulled it off other than the Green Bay Packers and the good folks in Green Bay and across the region. So, it was critically important to me that Green Bay and our local partners received the support they need to cover public safety costs, and I’m glad we were able to get this done,” said Gov. Evers in a press release. “For three days, Wisconsin had the national spotlight, showcasing all we have to offer, our world-class sporting and entertainment, and of course, our proud history as Titletown. Pulling off a national event like this off requires a lot of work, coordination, and partnership. I’m incredibly proud of those efforts and that we’re going to be providing these investments to support our local partners and the tremendous work that ensured the Draft went off without a hitch.”
The grant comes from the Governor’s Opportunity Attraction and Promotion Fund program and will be used to help Green Bay, Ashwaubanon, and Brown County cover security and other public safety costs.
The fund was created as part of the 2023-’25 budget and supported by an additional investment from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
Approximately 600,000 attendees flocked to the three-day event in Green Bay, which has a population of just over 105,000. Initial estimates projected the Draft will generate $94 million in economic activity across Wisconsin, including a $20 million benefit for the Green Bay area specifically.
RELATED: Wausau Cashes in on NFL Draft
Post-event estimates show Wausau and Central Wisconsin brought in up to half a million dollars from the event. According to Visit Wausau CVB, hotels had an occupancy rate of up to 80% during the week of the draft, about 30% above last year’s numbers for the same week.
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