Ashwaubenon staff briefs residents on NFL Draft campus, traffic and parking impacts

Ashwaubenon officials presented detailed plans for the three‑day NFL Draft in April, warning residents of multi‑week road closures, temporary traffic patterns and new security perimeters that will affect neighborhoods south and southeast of Lambeau Field.

Village Planner Joel (last name not specified) told the Village Board on Feb. 25 that the Draft campus will be split into a Draft Theater and the larger NFL Experience and that a temporary stage and other structures will require a four‑week build and up to two weeks for teardown. He said portions of Oneida Street near the stadium will be closed beginning about March 28 and could remain closed through mid‑May depending on teardown timing.

The presentation stressed safety and capacity rules: registration through the NFL 1Pass app does not guarantee admission, clear‑bag rules and restrictions on folding or lawn chairs will apply, and there will be designated general‑admission and VIP entrances. Joel said the largest crowds are expected Thursday (first‑round picks) and Saturday (family day), and that site buildout will include eight‑foot fencing, vehicle mitigation and temporary studios and production facilities.

Why it matters: the campus footprint and closures will reroute traffic into residential corridors (including sections of Shady Lane, Wood Lane and others) and require homeowners and businesses to plan for restricted access, permitted on‑site parking and commercial licensing for mobile vendors. Village staff emphasized that much of the technical infrastructure — additional cellular capacity, wired fiber for the campus and extra security cameras — will be installed in the weeks before the event.

Officials directed residents to two main information sources: the NFL 1Pass mobile app for individual registration and live notifications, and the village site (ashwaubenon.gov → News & Updates → 2025 NFL Draft) for local guidance on parking, transit, vendor licensing, and short‑term rental rules. The village will also publish a transportation‑management plan and a business resource kit through Discover Green Bay at greenbay.com/draft25.

Business, vendor and resident guidance: mobile food vendors must hold village licenses in addition to state or county health approval; RV camping and driveway camping are prohibited; short‑term rentals require Brown County health licensing and may need a village license depending on frequency; on‑street parking rules will be enforced and property owners providing yard parking should be aware occupants may be effectively “parked in” for the duration of the event.

Officials said the village will post temporary no‑parking restrictions by police order in areas where pedestrian flow requires a cleared lane. Joel and Public Works Director Brian Rickard said some existing Packer‑game‑day signage had been removed and will be reinstalled or replaced with new temporary signs that reference special event parking rules.

Board members and staff noted the village is continuing to press for external funding to offset local expenses (overtime, sanitation, and traffic control) and will seek to provide updated financial information as it becomes available. Staff said any remaining costs would be charged to the village draft fund; the village has already budgeted some amounts but cautioned that invoices submitted to event partners may not be paid in full by outside parties.

The village will host a public information meeting on March 6 to present the same material and take questions; staff said they expect a large turnout.