GREEN BAY, Wis. — The city of Green Bay will receive nearly $2 million for its public safety efforts during the 2025 NFL Draft.
What You Need To Know
Gov. Tony Evers, D-Wis., announced on Wednesday he was awarding $1.8 million to Green Bay to cover security and other public safety costs associated with the draft
The funds were made possible through a grant backed by the Opportunity Attraction and Promotion Fund program
A total of 600,000 people attended the NFL Draft in April, putting Green Bay in the international spotlight
Leaders estimate the event generated $94 million for the Wisconsin economy
Gov. Tony Evers, D-Wis., announced on Wednesday he was awarding $1.8 million to cover security and other public safety costs associated with the draft.
The funds were made possible through a grant backed by the Opportunity Attraction and Promotion Fund program, which was created by Evers in his final budget for 2023-25. That program includes a $10 million investment. This year’s 2025-27 budget proposal includes an additional $5 million to fund through 2025-26.
“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 Evers.
A total of 600,000 people attended the NFL Draft in April, putting Green Bay in the international spotlight. The number of attendees far exceeded the initial projection of 250,000.
Leaders estimate the event generated $94 million for the Wisconsin economy, with $20 million of that benefiting the Green Bay area.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Gov. Evers and WEDC (Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation) for their critical support in covering public safety expenses related to the NFL Draft,” said Green Bay Mayor Genrich in a statement. “This was a historic event that brought enormous economic benefits to our community and the entire state of Wisconsin. The allocation of this funding recognizes that positive statewide economic effect and protects our local taxpayers from bearing the costs—a win-win for our state’s and our city’s residents.”