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13 years ago
Lambeau Field expansion plan leaps ahead 

A top Green Bay Packers official said Friday the team hopes to begin construction on an expansion of the south end-zone area at historic Lambeau Field after next year's Super Bowl in February.

Jason Wied, the team's general counsel and vice president of administration, said consultants believe the franchise can add as many as 7,500 seats in the south end-zone area, which was left open when the team finished its $295 million Lambeau Field makeover in 2003.

Capacity at Lambeau Field is 73,128.

"We would love to get it started next February. I would expect it would take a couple of seasons to do it," Wied said. "We obviously want to play through construction. That makes it a little harder to accelerate it."

Wied also disclosed that the team would finance the construction - a cost estimate was not released - on its own. There will be no public tax financing of the project, he said.

"We haven't buttoned down all of the financing. But we intend to do it on our own," Wied said.

The Packers financed the last stadium makeover through a combination of a 0.5% Brown County sales tax, a user fee on seat-holders, a National Football League loan and a stock sale.

While the Packers have not arrived at a financing plan, imposition of a user fee would seem likely because other season-seat holders paid the user fee during the last construction project. A stock sale, last held in 1997-'98, would be problematic because it would have to overcome regulatory hurdles as well as approval from NFL owners.

"There are multiple options for financing," Wied said.

Green ticket holders paid $1,400 per seat the last time around; Gold seat holders paid $600 per seat.

Despite the ongoing NFL lockout, which threatens the 2011 season, the Packers clearly feel now is the right time to move on expansion. Armed with a worldwide fan base, the Packers sell out every home game and have a season-ticket waiting list in the tens of thousands.

And they are the defending Super Bowl champions.

"This is about the long-term viability of the stadium," Wied said.

Wied said current season-ticket holders, as well as those on the waiting list, received surveys this week asking for input on the best seating configurations.

Wied said one idea being discussed internally is giving existing seat holders the option of moving to the new seating in the south end-zone area and giving incoming seat holders the opportunity to purchase seats in the current bowl.

"This would be an opportunity to potentially jockey some people around in the stadium if that's what they want," Wied said. "People have been buying seats for a long time. It seems right they would get the first option to get a shot at the new section."



This is most of the story. the rest is a rehash of the survey sent out last week.

I like that they are not using public money to fund this.

None of the stories I have read explain why they didn't add the seats to the stadium when they did the last expansion.

If they make the south end zone seats higher than other sections and then put the scoreboard on top of it, it will be awkward having to look up there to watch the replays.

I have to laugh when they describe the "wall of fans" White Sox fans scream and yell that the rows are too steep in the upper deck. They feel cheated by the design of the stadium. They just understand there are only 2 options- low relatively flat rows that leave you further from the action or high, steep seats that bring you closer to the field.
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Cheesey
13 years ago
I wish they would have put in real SEATS at Lambeau when they redid it.
The bleacher seats SUCK.
Especially in winter, when everyone is bundled up. There's no room to even SIT decently. They don't give you enough room at all.
UserPostedImage
Pack93z
13 years ago


Especially in winter, when everyone is bundled up. There's no room to even SIT decently. They don't give you enough room at all.

"Cheesey" wrote:



IMO.. that is one of the charms of Lambeau.. something fitting about the bleachers and that stadium.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
gbguy20
13 years ago

I wish they would have put in real SEATS at Lambeau when they redid it.
The bleacher seats SUCK.
Especially in winter, when everyone is bundled up. There's no room to even SIT decently. They don't give you enough room at all.

"Cheesey" wrote:




I have no qualms about the bench seats. I suppose I've never had to sit out there during winter games though. I can see how it would be much more cramped then.
Yerko
13 years ago
Being a bigger guy, I actually enjoyed Lambeau when everyone was bundled up for the winter game. It was just a different experience from your usual professional game.

I was having a convo with a friend from Wisconsin this past weekend about this expansion and the first thing she said was taxes being boosted again. I will gladly pass this news along to her.
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GermanGilbert
13 years ago



I have no qualms about the bench seats. I suppose I've never had to sit out there during winter games though. I can see how it would be much more cramped then.

"gbguy20" wrote:



i love those bench seats, as pack93z said, that's the charm of lambeau field. modern arenas with those plastic seats grow like weed over here and i visited a ton of them. no way you have more space sitting in those undersized seats than on the bench at lambeau field.
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doddpower
13 years ago



I have no qualms about the bench seats. I suppose I've never had to sit out there during winter games though. I can see how it would be much more cramped then.

"GermanGilbert" wrote:



i love those bench seats, as pack93z said, that's the charm of lambeau field. modern arenas with those plastic seats grow like weed over here and i visited a ton of them. no way you have more space sitting in those undersized seats than on the bench at lambeau field.

"gbguy20" wrote:



Well, there's not debating the marked seats at Lambeau offer VERY little room. I once sat on the end and literally had about 3 inches of seat space. Even when I sit in the middle sometimes my ass has to squeeze a little bit to fit in, and I'm not a huge guy. Although, renting/bringing the stadium seats pretty much fixes the problem.

It does certainly give Lambeau a unique feel, and it looks really cool as well. Absolutely packed and nothing but a sea of people.
13 years ago
The problem I have is the overhangs. I've been to stadiums that have them and you cannot see punts and field goal attempts when the ball gets high.

Also those overhanging decks leak and there is always run off onto the people below who get drenched with more than their fair share of precipitation, soft drinks, beer and more disgusting things that runoff.

The nice bowl of Lambeau now is getting a partial upper deck. How long until there is an upper deck all around wrecking the Lambeau experience??
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nyrpack
13 years ago
pack them in !!
jimmy b.
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