Representatives of the Packers, Brown County (WI) and
the city of Green Bay "reached a tentative agreement"
Wednesday night on a plan to renovate Lambeau Field, "paving
the way" for the WI State Assembly to take action on the
bill today, according to Walker & Jones of the MILWAUKEE
JOURNAL SENTINEL. The deal includes "several key changes"
to the original plan, including the addition of a second
question to a referendum that seeks voter approval of a 0.5%
Brown County sales tax. The first question would "simply
ask for voter approval" for the tax, while the second would
seek approval to allow "any excess revenue generated by the
tax to be used by the county for other purposes." Officials
also agreed to have sales tax proceeds pay for the team's
yearly maintenance and administrative costs at the stadium.
Another change stipulates that should the Packers sell
naming rights for Lambeau, "it would be subject to approval"
by the city and county and "an undetermined percentage" of
the proceeds "would be shared" with the city and county. WI
State Rep. John Gard said changes to the bill "could mean
paying off the bonds faster" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL,
3/23). Gard, on passing the new plan: "It shouldn't be that
hard" (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 3/23).