GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A sports bar inside Green Bay’s Hotel Northland is now open for business.
Although the hotel itself isn’t quite ready, the restaurant called “Poke The Bear” welcomed customers for lunch Thursday.
Just around 11:00 in the morning, Poke the Bear officially opened. Karen and Jim Genrich were the first customers.
“We were fortunate that we were both retired, so we had some time today, to be able to come down. We thought let’s do it.”
“We were afraid that maybe it wasn’t going to open, but very, very happy that it has opened.”
“It’s really an exciting day,” said John D. Williams, Hotel Northland General Manager.
Williams tells FOX the sports bar is the first step in getting the entire ten-story landmark open.
“The hotel has been closed for many years, there’s been great anticipation to get the hotel back online and bring it back to life. And we have done that.”
Construction on the $50 million dollar project started in 2015 but was delayed by financial problems. The City of Green Bay invested millions in tax incentives and loans as well.
Renovations continue throughout the hotel, but Williams says the parent company, Marriott, will open only when everything is ready.
“So very soon. In the month of February, the entire facility will be open to the public.”
Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt tells FOX 11 the earlier, the better.
“Like I said, if I was the general manager, we’d be open, but they want every piece of artwork to be perfect, every vase to be perfect. So we’re weeks away from that, but we’re very excited and this is just going to be a great asset for Northeast Wisconsin.”
Right now, the restaurant is open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.Tuesday through Saturday. But when the entire hotel opens, Poke the Bear will be open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.
