The Packers "essentially have given up the fight to
retain the name Lambeau Field" at a renovated stadium,
according to Cliff Christ of the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL,
who writes that the team and the city of Green Bay announced
a tentative agreement yesterday "that would allow the City
Council to sell the naming rights to the stadium" when
renovations are completed in 2003. If City Council "votes
to accept" the naming rights agreement today, "it will allow
for a referendum to be placed before" Brown County voters in
September to determine whether a countywide sales tax should
be imposed to pay for the renovations. The Packers are
asking for taxpayers to contribute $160M for the $295M
project. In addition to "granting the city authority over
the naming rights issue, other key elements of the tentative
agreement call for an advisory referendum on the matter and
a 50-50 split of the proceeds from such a deal." The deal
also "stipulates the Packers will be responsible for all
maintenance costs at the renovated stadium." Initially,
Packers President Bob Harlan "insisted on retaining the name
Lambeau Field," but he has recently "softened his stance"
and instead is seeking a "greater slice of the pie than
50%." The deal also mandates that the naming rights be sold
for more than $120M, "but the city retains the right to
repeat the bidding process within 30 months with a reduced
minimum of $100 million." The team and city officials have
discussed selling the naming rights over a 20-year period
(MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 7/11).
COKE TALKS GO FLAT: In Green Bay, Thomas Content
reports that Coca-Cola, which had been "approached" by the
city about a possible naming rights deal for Lambeau Field,
"is not interested" in a deal. While Coca-Cola PR Manager
Scott Williamson acknowledged that talks "have taken place"
about purchasing naming rights, he said that the company "is
not a fan of spending marketing dollars to put its name on
stadiums" (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 7/11).
