‘Utterly underwhelming': Green Bay businesses report losses, underwhelming sales during NFL Draft
ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (WFRV) – Despite seeing more than a reported half a million fans across the three days of the NFL Draft, businesses in the shadow of Lambeau Field and a couple miles east in downtown Green Bay saw little to no economic boost. In fact, some business owners and managers say they took a net loss.
'It was actually a lot slower than how it usually is towards the end of April for us. Sales were down maybe 50%,' Cold Stone Creamery Green Bay owner Amin Elhalw said. 'Gradually the closer we got to the draft, the sales were decreasing, the percentage. Maybe because of the roads and stuff as well.'
Green Bay community shines as NFL Draft draws strong turnout despite weather
Traffic also created a headache for Michael Wier, owner of Kroll's West, who says he is taking a net loss or breaking even from the aftermath of the draft.
'It sounded like there would be many more cars on the west side of the stadium than there actually was,' he said. 'If you take three days, one really good one, one really poor one, and one above average, and the three weeks that this road is closed, unless they can get it open quicker, it'll be a negative or about a wash.'
At Tundra Smoke Shop, revenue is not smoking either, as the entrances of the NFL Draft campus were positioned across Lambeau Field from the store.
'We definitely thought we'd see a little bump and that didn't happen,' Tundra Smoke Shop manager Josh Gribble said. 'What I think is just because the way the entrances were set up on the other side, that Oneida St. didn't really get as much traffic as much as people would've thought because there aren't entrances on this side.'
Green Bay mayor reflects on successful 2025 NFL Draft
In downtown Green Bay, business was not any better.
'We saw a little bump in business but certainly not what we expected at all. Utterly underwhelming to say the least,' Prohibition Spirits and Cigars manager Rob Ziese said. 'We, from Wednesday to Saturday, doubled up on employees. Two during the day, four at night. Really, none of it was needed.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
3 hours ago
- Fox News
Browns superfan WWE star shares words of wisdom for Shedeur Sanders
WWE star The Miz may be one of the biggest Cleveland Browns fans in sports. The Ohio native has been seen supporting the Browns at games in Cleveland and on NFL shows talking about the team he loves. Cleveland was once again the talk of the NFL world in April when the team traded the No. 2 overall pick in the draft to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who eventually selected Travis Hunter. The Browns received the No. 5 pick and drafted Mason Graham. It took until the later rounds, but the Browns added to their quarterback room with the selections of Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. Cleveland took Sanders after Gabriel as the former Colorado quarterback slid, sparking the attention of the sports world, including President Donald Trump. The Miz, whose real name is Mike Mizanin, told Fox News Digital in recent interview that Sanders is in a great spot to learn the ropes as a professional quarterback with Joe Flacco on the roster. "I'm not really a professional football player, and I'm not a quarterback, and I'm not in a quarterback room with Joe Flacco," he prefaced. "But if you are in a quarterback room with Joe Flacco who has been to the Super Bowl, won the Super Bowl, has done incredible things in the NFL, I would just put my head down and learn and listen, because he has a great coach and Kevin Stefanski and I think just be the player that he was in Colorado. "I wouldn't want him to change. Like, I always feel like … the best person is a person that can't help being themselves, right? That's the best, in my opinion, and I think he can't help being himself, and think he's a born leader. And I think, in the end … I know it's gonna be a little circus here and there, but if he can play to the caliber that I feel like he could be, he could be a franchise quarterback." Sanders will compete with Gabriel and Kenny Pickett for the few spots on the roster. Flacco may have the advantage going in as he was on the team in 2023 and took over for an injured Deshaun Watson to keep the Browns on a playoff pace. Watson suffered a torn Achilles in 2024 and re-ruptured the Achilles as he recovered. It's unclear whether he'll be healthy and ready to return to the field anytime soon. For now, the Browns will have a few things to weigh when it comes to their quarterbacks in 2025. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Brown County Board of Supervisors votes to pass agreement to relocate Green Bay coal piles
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The fate of the infamous Green Bay coal piles has been decided upon. The Brown County Board of Supervisors met for an on Thursday night, following a on Tuesday evening. Registration open, date announced for 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Lambeau Field The official vote reportedly passed the agreement, meaning that the longtime dilemma over the coal piles seemingly has found a solution. The agreement and vote mean that the coal piles will be relocated to the former Pulliam Power Plant site from their current space along the Fox River by the Mason Street Bridge. An official statement from Shipyard District Director Tarl Knight expressed gratitude and joy over the relocation and agreement. On behalf of the taxpaying business owners, property owners, and residents of the Shipyard District and its neighborhoods, we finally celebrate the agreement between the Brown County Board of Supervisors and Clemens Reiss Coal Company to relocate the coal piles and start the process of remediating the land, water, and air of our district and along the Fox River. Now it's time to continue advancing our mission together for our neighborhoods, our district, and our whole community Shipyard District Director Tarl Knight Wisconsin's budget talks stall, create possible ripple effect on 2026 gubernatorial race The full release from the Shipyard District is available below: SDI-Press-Release-Statement-Brown-County-Board-Supervisors-Coal-PilesDownload The original deadline for negotiations was in the evening on May 30; however, at 5 p.m. because of the progress that had been made. Local 5's Paul Steeno was in attendance to cover the vote. This story will be updated with more details as they become available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
AT&T Fiber delivers high-speed internet to thousands of Door County homes
EGG HARBOR, Wis (WFRV) – Fast, reliable internet is finally reaching more rural homes in Door County. Governor Tony Evers joined AT&T executives and local government officials Thursday morning to celebrate the launch of a $24 million public-private fiber broadband project, which will eventually serve more than 5,400 addresses across four Door County communities. New partnership provides young northeastern Wisconsinites with theater training during summer The event took place at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor, where AT&T technicians provided a fiber splicing demonstration and offered tours of the company's service trucks. The first homes in the Town of Egg Harbor are now eligible to order AT&T Fiber, with other areas expected to come online in phases. The expansion includes partnerships with the towns of Egg Harbor, Sevastopol, Sturgeon Bay, and the Village of Egg Harbor. A mix of funding from AT&T, local municipalities, and the Wisconsin Public Service Commission's Capital Projects Fund helped make the project possible. 'There are residents and businesses that didn't have access to high-speed fiber — and now they do,' said Robyn Gruner, AT&T's director of external affairs in Wisconsin. 'It's a critical piece of infrastructure, not just for streaming or working from home, but for healthcare, education, and staying connected.' Gruner said more than 350 homes are now eligible to sign up for service, and more than 50 orders have already come in. Governor Evers used the opportunity to highlight his administration's commitment to broadband access, pointing to $400 million in proposed broadband investments in his latest state budget. 'With uncertainty at the federal level, momentum is more important than ever that we continue to make this a statewide issue,' Evers said. 'We've already helped over 410,000 homes and businesses get access to new or improved broadband.' Wisconsin's budget talks stall, create possible ripple effect on 2026 gubernatorial race Local leaders say the upgrades are long overdue in an area where geography and low population density have long made internet access a challenge. The broader project is expected to roll out over the coming months, connecting thousands more Door County residents to high-speed fiber. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
