GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Green Bay's mayor, Eric Genrich, and city council members have released a new statement on the city's ongoing feud with the Green Bay Packers over Lambeau Field's lease.
“We’re pleased the Packers have heard some of the City’s concerns and are making significant commitments about their continued term and investment in Lambeau – it’s a positive step. That said, this issue is too critical to the City’s future to debate in the media, and we look forward to engaging in a good faith negotiation directly with the team.”
Earlier this week, city council members held a news conference in downtown Green Bay and called for both sides to negotiate from "a place of good faith."
The Packers responded with a new offer, which the team called the most "taxpayer-friendly in all of sports." In the new offer, the Packers would invest $1.5 billion into Lambeau Field without any obligation from taxpayers, and the current rent escalator would continue with a 30-year extension. Currently, the rent the Packers owe to the city increases by 2.75% each year.
The organization added that if the city considered the new proposal "unacceptable" that it would not engage in further negotiations.
The Packers' previous offer would've frozen rent payments, but the city felt that wasn't fair to its taxpayers, calling the it a "non-starter." City leaders said taxpayers would've missed out on $30 million.
The current Lambeau lease is set to expire in 2032 with an option for two separate 5-year extensions.
