Packers Heritage Trail in Downtown Green Bay, showcasing Packers legends. July 10, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Packers Heritage, Inc., has filed a lawsuit against the city of Green Bay, seeking to stop the move of the Packers Heritage Plaza located at Cherry and Washington streets. A court hearing on a preliminary injunction request is scheduled for Friday morning.
The Packers Heritage Plaza features the statues of Paul Hornung, Johnny “Blood” (McNally), Bart Starr and team co-founder George Whitney Calhoun, among others. The Plaza also includes a large recognition wall and green space enhancements. It opened in 2013.
However, when the city approved plans for an apartment complex on the site, it said the plaza would have to be moved to an undetermined location.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday, seeks to stop that from happening.
“Plaintiff stands to be irreparably harmed by the City’s threatened and unilateral action accordingly. Therefore, Plaintiff seeks an injunction enforcing the parties’ agreement for contribution of the land where the Plaza is located shall remain status quo pending further order of this Court,” attorney David Weber wrote.
The city has not formally replied to the lawsuit. Documents filed in the case include a Sept. 27 letter from Deputy City Attorney Lacey Cochart, confirming the city’s plans to redevelop the site.
“Relocation to Packers Plaza continues to improve upon and enhance the investment in the site and keeps the attraction close to its current location, benefiting Downtown Green Bay, as it was contemplated more than 10 years ago, when the City allowed the Heritage Trail Plaza to be installed on its property. If the Green Bay Packers, Inc., continue its objection to the relocation to Green Bay Packers Plaza, the City will remove the Heritage Trail Plaza and place the statues in storage, at your cost. The Heritage Trail Plaza must be relocated no later than October 15, 2024. If Green Bay Packers, Inc., would like to be cooperative in relocating the Heritage Trail Plaza to a location in Green Bay, we look forward to hearing from you,” Cochart wrote.
Weber replied on Oct. 7.
“Accordingly, it appears to me that we have two potential alternatives. First, the City could arrange for leaving the Plaza in place for a reasonable period of time to allow the parties to explore with the planned Developer a way to incorporate the Plaza into its plans. Alternatively, the City or its Developer could agree to pay for the expense of removing the statues along with the other portions of the Plaza subject to salvage and deliver the property to my clients’ possession. My clients would certainly prefer the first option and to keep the Plaza right where it is,” Weber wrote.
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