GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK)- A new $10 million plan was publicly unveiled Tuesday afternoon for Green Bay’s proposed Shipyard district.
The city spent the past four months re-tooling the proposal after the Green Bay Bullfrogs decided in February to move to Ashwaubenon.
A main difference between the new and old proposals is there is no main tenant that would occupy the turf field the city wants to build.
Also, the main tenant in the old plan, the Bullfrogs, was going to kick in more than $4 million for the project through a lease agreement. Now the city would be paying for most of the project.
The turf field would have the potential for football, soccer, and rugby. It would be on the edge of the 16-acre property, near the Mason Street Bridge.
Next to the field is what the city is referring to as “Container Park”. That area would have old shipping containers converted to small shops or food options.
The project also includes boat slips, an urban beach, a playground, and splash pad.
Mayor Jim Schmitt says the new plan offers the city more flexibility for private development.
“When we’ve talked to developers who are going to make the investment across the street (slip), I think they’re more comfortable with what the city is looking at versus being across the slip from a baseball stadium,” said Schmitt.
The city plans to pay for the project through tax revenue from new development in the area. Kevin Vonck, the city’s economic development director, says $30 million in new development is needed in the next 8 to 10 years to keep the project off the city’s tax levy.
No private projects are committed to the Shipyard yet. However, Schmitt says all developers that were interested in the previous Shipyard proposal remain interested in the plan.
An Anduzzi’s restaurant, a concert venue from Festival Foods President and CEO Mark Skogen, and a new world headquarters for Breakthrough Fuel were among private projects linked to the previous Shipyard proposal.
The city’s Redevelopment Authority approved the plan Tuesday. The city council will take a vote next week.
