GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay is on the clock with 121 days until the start of the NFL Draft in April, when hundreds of thousands of people are expected to be in the Green Bay area for the big event.
But what will parking look like for residents nearby the draft campus? FOX 11 spoke with some homeowners who offer parking near Lambeau Field, and they said there could be some challenges.
With the Green Bay area expecting to see around 250,000 people for the NFL Draft, many yards will be loaded with parked cars.
“We’re really excited to have the draft here in Green Bay, it’s just a wonderful opportunity for the community,” homeowner Randy Welch said.
Welch has parked cars in his yard for 10 years now. While he’s looking forward to the draft, he’s concerned about how April’s weather will impact his yard for parking.
“In the fall here, the lawns get dry enough so we can generally park, but in the spring, this may be a concern of the neighborhood. [It will] basically track up our lawns really bad,” Welch said.
Welch said sloppy conditions could make the ground too soft, leading to troubles getting cars in and out. Typically, his lot can hold 16 cars at $30 apiece, but he thinks that price will go up for the draft.
Meanwhile, on South Oneida Street, other homes are trying their best to prepare.
“It’s not going to be an event where there’s a start time and a finish time — you’re going to have people arriving early and they’re staying all day, and you’re going to have people that arrive for a couple hours and then leave,” parking attendant Tony Gillis said.
Gillis expects to be open for parking the entire week of the draft. He said they’re not ready yet, but are taking baby steps.
“We’re very unprepared because we don’t exactly know, and we’ve never done it before, but we’ll roll with the punches and we’ll do what we have to do to make it work,” Gillis said.
Draft week parking will be similar to Packers gameday parking, but a lot more intense.
Discover Green Bay said they’re ready for the draft, and are relying on homeowners for parking. There will also be free shuttles for folks to catch in some locations, provided by the Brown County Tavern League.
Discover Green Bay also believes parking won’t be a challenge for the city to handle because of Green Bay’s extended flat land.
“The opportunity for millions and millions and millions of people to see Green Bay shine in the national spotlight in the national media is a great opportunity for our community,” Discover Green Bay VP of Marketing and Communications Nick Meisner said.
As for parking at Lambeau Field, Meisner said he’s not sure if parking will be available for fans. More information is expected to come out about that at a later date.
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