Green Bay, State Anticipate $94 Million Economic Boost from 2025 NFL Draft

April 17, 2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — As Green Bay gears up to host the 2025 NFL Draft, city and state officials are preparing for an influx of more than 240,000 visitors and a projected economic impact nearing $94 million across Wisconsin.

The draft, set for April 24–26, will be held around Lambeau Field and the Titletown District. While Green Bay itself expects to see about $20 million in direct economic activity, the remaining $74 million is forecasted to ripple across the state, according to figures shared by state tourism officials and the Green Bay Packers.

The impact is expected to stretch as far as Milwaukee and northern Wisconsin, with hotels, restaurants and small businesses preparing for a surge in visitors and spending. In December, the Packers and local business groups began mobilizing resources to help the region handle the demand.

“We want to make sure businesses across Wisconsin are aware and ready,” said Shelley Jurewicz, executive director of the statewide business coalition, Celebrate Wisconsin. “This is a statewide event,” she told NBC15 in Madison.

The Packers have committed over $1 million to help fund the event and plan to raise more than $4 million from sponsors. The team’s board approved a total budget of $7.5 million to cover infrastructure, security, and other logistics tied to the draft. The Wisconsin State Legislature also approved a $2 million grant to assist with costs related to staging the event.

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin, led by Reps. David Steffen and Ben Franklin, are pushing for $1.25 million in state funding to cover public safety costs for the Draft. The proposal, announced earlier this week, aims to reimburse two-thirds of the expenses for local agencies, including the Green Bay Police Department, Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Ashwaubenon Public Safety, and Green Bay Metro Fire Department, which expect to incur significant costs managing an estimated 250,000 visitors. Steffen argues the state should contribute because the event’s $94 million economic impact will benefit areas beyond Green Bay, generating $4.5 million to $5 million in state sales tax. The funding, to be included in the 2025-27 state budget, awaits legislative approval and Gov. Tony Evers’ signature, with reimbursement expected by late 2025.

This will be the first time Green Bay has hosted the NFL Draft, and city officials have framed it as a rare opportunity to showcase the smallest market in professional sports to a global audience. But not all observers are convinced the projections will hold.

Some economists caution that economic impact figures often rely on aggressive multipliers that may overstate actual returns. In a report by Milwaukee Magazine, economic researcher Marc Levine compared the draft projections to those floated ahead of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where early estimates also drew skepticism.

Still, local tourism leaders are optimistic. The event is expected to draw widespread media attention and future travel to the region, even beyond the three-day draft.

“This is the most significant sports tourism event we’ve ever had in Wisconsin,” said Anne Sayers, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, in an interview with FOX6.

And it’s only days away…