Lambeau Field in Green Bay is already one of Wisconsin’s most popular tourist attractions. Even on days when the Packers do not have a game, fans come to tour the stadium, visit the Packers Hall of Fame or stock up on green and gold gear at the 21,500-square-foot Packers Pro Shop.
The Packers recently opened a new restaurant at Lambeau, 1919 Kitchen & Tap, and a new Hall of Fame, now located on the main floor of the Lambeau Field Atrium.
But the Packers’ latest plans could be a game-changer for Lambeau as a tourist destination. The team recently unveiled its plans for the Titletown District, a 34-acre development along Lombardi Avenue west of the stadium.
The Titletown District will feature commercial and residential development surrounding a central 10-acre plaza. The plaza itself could be a major attraction, with Packers-themed art, including a giant Super Bowl ring sculpture, and an ice skating rink during the winter.
“The public plaza, with its size and location near Lambeau Field, will be a draw that is very unique in our area and a wonderful public space for our community,” said Mark Murphy, Packers president and chief executive officer.
The Titletown District will also have a high-end hotel, operated by Kohler Co., a Hinterland brewery and restaurant, and a Bellin Health sports medicine clinic.
Fresh off hosting the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits near Sheboygan, Kohler Co. says its hotel, Lodge Kohler, will be the “premier hotel” of the Titletown District. Kohler Co.’s other lodging properties include The American Club in Kohler, Inn on Woodlake in Kohler and The Old Course Hotel in St. Andrews, Scotland.
Lodge Kohler will have approximately 150 rooms, a panoramic bar and restaurant, an indoor/outdoor pool, a spa and fitness facility and an outdoor area featuring tented event space.
Hinterland, which also has a location in the Third Ward in Milwaukee, will move from downtown Green Bay to the Titletown District. Its 20,000-square-foot facility in the Titletown District will be four times larger than its current Green Bay restaurant and brewery. To engage the Titletown District plaza, the exterior walls will be retractable for outdoor experiences, complete with heated concrete and heat lamps.
The initial tenants announced by the Packers will take up about eight acres of land. Future development of the remaining 16 acres in the district will include commercial and retail tenants and a residential component. Murphy said the team hopes to attract tenants to the Titletown District that normally would not consider the Green Bay market.
The Packers plan to invest $65 million in the Titletown District project, and the cumulative initial investment by all parties is expected to be between $120 million and $130 million. The first phase of the Titletown District is expected to be complete in the fall of 2017.
