Vacancies during the NFL Draft at AmericInn by Wyndham Green Bay East April 30, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Six hundred thousand football fans flocked to the smallest NFL market for the three-day NFL Draft, with attendance 2.5 times more than anticipated.
But many hotels who still had vacancies are asking themselves, where did draft-goers stay?
AmericInn by Wyndham Green Bay East Manager Chris Kanzelberger said, “We had plenty of available rooms. I think a lot of the people, guests that came to Green Bay, were from Wisconsin and in driving distance.”
With weather uncertainty and the NFL Draft being a free event, many hotels thought they would see an influx of last-minute bookings.
Kanzelberger said that was not the case.
“A lot of younger people, maybe a lot of people that do not have the funds to stay at a hotel. I heard that from multiple different people, that there were a lot of people in their 20s, late teens, that were going for the experience.”
AmericInn by Wyndham Green Bay East had over 30 rooms available during the draft, with Thursday night being the busiest by far.
Kanzelberger says it is a lesson learned, and advises the next draft host city to have muted expectations.
“Less busy than a Packers weekend. Typically, we are sold out on Packers weekends, so it was a change,” he said.
“I think when it comes down to it, people that are going to games — that are spending the time going to games, paying for tickets, paying for flights — do not mind paying to be comfortable to stay at a hotel. When it comes to a free event, Midwesterners are frugal. We all know that,” Kanzelberger said.
Brown County campgrounds made 250 campsites available for draft-goers. Brown County Parks Department Director Matt Kriese says there were no noteworthy issues.
“Our Fairgrounds, Bay Shore and Reforestation Camp that were activated for the NFL Draft early, roughly 250 total sites. We were at 93% reservation capacity for those three campgrounds. We saw people from all over the Midwest and even further,” said Kriese.
He says between 40 and 50 campers did not show, but reservations were non-refundable.
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