GREEN BAY (NBC26) — While over half a million people visited the NFL Draft last week, downtown businesses reported mixed results.
- Downtown Green Bay experienced a surge in activity during the NFL Draft weekend with events like Touchdown Downtown and the Draft City Music Festival, attracting numerous visitors and fostering community engagement.
- Businesses like LoCo WisCo and The Foxy Peddler reported high foot traffic, while others did not see the expected boost, prompting a call for a survey to assess impacts.
- On Broadway Inc. plans to gather feedback from businesses to enhance support for future events, aiming to ensure long-term benefits for the downtown area as it gears up for more large gatherings.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
"This was a great showcase of our community," said Will Liebergen, owner of The Foxy Peddler, a local bike tour company.
While some businesses reported mixed results, many took advantage of the weekend's excitement.
Kaleb Robertson, who works at Stage One on Broadway Ave., expressed his surprise at the unpredictability of the crowd.
"It was constantly moving, which made the days fly by. There was always something to do," Robertson said.
Stage One owner, Alexander Graziano, noted that the uncertainty of the weekend added to the experience.
"It was very unpredictable as far as what to prepare for, but that was kind of the beauty of it, just being excited and being in the moment all week," Graziano said.
Mary Rhode, vice president of marketing and communications for On Broadway Inc., emphasized the importance of the events in attracting visitors to downtown.
"We wanted the community and certainly the visitors to come out and see what downtown has to offer," she said.
However, she acknowledged that not all businesses benefited equally from the surge in foot traffic.
"Now it's time to look at the data and survey and get the results and see what we can take away from that," Rhode said.
Michael Mooney, co-owner of LoCo WisCo, observed a different scenario. Activities like the Booyah Battle and the Kringle Contest, which took place outside his establishment, brought in a steady stream of customers.
"It was just nonstop people, and it was amazing," Mooney said.
As a follow-up to the weekend's events, On Broadway Inc. plans to reach out to local businesses with a survey this week.
The goal is to gather insights on how future events can better support local establishments.
With more large events on the horizon, the community is keen to learn from this experience and ensure ongoing benefits for downtown Green Bay.
In the wake of the NFL Draft, Green Bay's businesses are optimistic about the long-term impacts of the exposure and hope that new visitors will return.
"I think people got to really see Green Bay and will come back," Liebergen said.
