GREEN BAY (NBC26) — As the enthusiasm surrounding the NFL Draft subsides, the teardown of the draft campus near Lambeau Field has started, prompting local homeowners to reflect on the event's influence on their community.
- The NFL Draft attracted around 600,000 attendees to Green Bay, but strict road closures and altered traffic patterns led to fewer local homeowners accepting parking, leaving some disappointed despite the event’s overall success.
- Homeowners, including tailgate host Kevin Richardson and neighbor Emilie Dougherty, recognized the excitement and community pride stemming from the event, though Dougherty noted a missed opportunity for increased traffic and revenue on their properties.
- Cleanup of the draft campus is underway, with plans to have the entire area cleared and open to the public by early May, allowing the community to return to normal operations.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Kevin Richardson, owner of a tailgate house at the corner of Valley View Rd. and True Ln., typically welcomes around 400 guests during Packers home games.
While he tried to prepare for the "three days of craziness" that the draft promised, the experience was both rewarding and exhausting, he said.
"It's rewarding but I'm tired," Richardson said, as highlighted the nonstop tailgating that stretched from Thursday through Saturday.
Despite a remarkable attendance of 600,000 over the three-day event, some homeowners felt that the strict road closures and altered traffic patterns deterred potential guests.
Emilie Dougherty, a neighbor, expressed disappointment, saying, “We really had high hopes that we were going to get some pretty good traffic and revenue coming through.”
She said that even on the best day of the draft, her lot was “halfway full,” a stark contrast to normal Packers game days.
Both Richardson and Dougherty agree that, although the parking and traffic challenges were frustrating, the draft still showcased Green Bay positively on a national stage.
“I hope nationally that they are impressed by the job that the local community did and it’s awesome being part of it," Richardson said.
As cleanup and deconstruction continue, plans are in place to clear the entire draft campus and open to the public by early May.
