GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — The Green Bay Packers offer a new deal to the city in what the team is calling the most "taxpayer-friendly in all of sports".
Below are elements of the new offer:
- Packers invest $1.5 billion into Lambeau Field
- "Taxpayers will have no obligation in that investment"
- Current rent escalator continues with a 30-year extension
"We need to learn how to separate football from business," City council president, Brian Johnson, said.
On Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers sent the city a new offer on a lease agreement for Lambeau Field.
The team says the statement is in response to a press conference Wednesday afternoon in downtown Green Bay held by city council members supporting mayor Eric Genrich as lease negotiations stall.
Below is the full statement released from the Packers:
“The Packers were pleased to see the Common Council express having the interest of taxpayers in mind as they discussed the extension of the Lambeau Field lease, as the taxpayers are precisely whom the Packers have considered through their proposals that, unlike virtually all other recent stadium deals, did not request taxpayer funding.
“Much of what they said about negotiations was mischaracterized, but that is because they were not involved in the negotiations and, unfortunately, have been misinformed.
“The Packers present a new offer, arguably the most taxpayer-friendly in all of sports, that states:
1) The Packers will invest $1.5 billion into Lambeau Field.
2) Taxpayers will have no obligation in that investment.
3) The extended lease includes the current rent escalator, as the City requested, and extends 30 years. All other terms of the current lease will remain the same, as it has worked well since its inception in 2001.
“This process has become untenable, as the Packers have already invested four years in discussions and submitted three proposals without receiving a single counter proposal. If this extension as proposed is unacceptable, the Packers will not engage in further discussions.”
"Mayor Genrich has acted faithfully, diligently and always with the best interest of city taxpayers in mind," Johnson said.
Council members say previous proposals from the Packers did not align with previous verbal agreements between both sides.
Right now, the current lease runs through 2032 with the rent increasing each year by 2.75 percent.
In the new offer, the escalator would stay the same and extend another 30 years.
Previous offers did not include an escalator — Keeping rent the same.
The city said offers also missed community benefit and economic development written commitments.
"I hope we can foster mutual respect and appreciation in the future as our hard working residents and business owners truly deserve it," Jennifer Grant, District 1 alderperson, said.
The council said keeping rent the same would hurt taxpayers, even with the team's $1.5 billion plan.
"Providing an offer that requires tax payers to take a cut, while the fans have shown up for their organization time and time again, is not the way to move negotiations forward," Johnson said.
Earlier this month, the Packers released a statement calling out the mayor for not engaging in recent lease discussions.
Council members say the claims against the mayor are disruptive.
"We must start from a place of good faith, where taxpayers feel valued in this discussion," Johnson said. "We can only assume this adversarial approach is meant to unfairly turn the public opinion against the mayor and the city."
The team said the offers they are presenting are favorable compared to its competitors that rely more on public money
The Packers added that the team will not engage in further discussion if this new proposal is not accepted.
PREVIOUS REPORTING:
Green Bay's city council will give an update regarding where negotiations stand between the city, the Packers, and the Stadium District Board on a new lease for Lambeau Field.
It will take place at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday on the CityDeck in downtown Green Bay.
"The City Council wishes to address concerns raised in recent media reports against Mayor Eric Genrich by the Green Bay Packers, provide clarity on the City’s position as the body with fiduciary responsibility to Green Bay taxpayers, and respond to statements made by the Green Bay Packers to the Green Bay – Brown County Professional Football Stadium District and the general public," city council President Brian Johnson said.
Johnson says the mayor will not be at the press conference.
The rift over a new lease between the Packers and the city has been going on for months.
The heart of the issue revolves around rent.
The Packers have said they want to freeze its payments to the city. In exchange, the team would be responsible for all of the stadium's maintenance costs going forward.
Last week, the Packers shared their frustrations against the mayor, saying he's taking an "obstructionist approach" and asked the Stadium District Board to get involved in negotiations.
The mayor said the new terms of the lease wouldn't be fair to local taxpayers, claiming neighbors would take $30 million less in the new lease proposal.
Lambeau Field's current lease is set to expire in 2032, with an option for two, five-year extensions.
