By Don Walker
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Green Bay Packers unveiled plans Wednesday to spend as much as $25 million to renovate the east side of Lambeau Field.
The project, which would begin after the end of the 2008 season, would include the construction of a deck running from the Oneida Nation gate north to the Harlan Plaza at the entrance of the stadium’s atrium.
The project also includes construction of an underground parking area for players and staff. The design, according to Pat Webb, executive director of the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District, would allow fans to watch players as they enter and leave the facility.
The project’s main goal is to reduce the bottleneck of fans during game days as they approach the stadium on the east side.
Members of the district, which oversees projects at Lambeau Field in behalf of Brown County taxpayers, voted, 5-0, on Wednesday to approve the project. The cost of the project has been estimated to be from $22 million to $25 million.
No tax money will be used for the project, but the Packers asked for and received approval to tap as much as $10 million from the district’s capital improvements fund.
That fund, which now totals $12.5 million, was originally funded from leftover money Packers season-ticket holders paid in what was then called a onetime season-ticket user fee. A total of $9 million of the fund was used to fund the stadium’s scoreboards.
Lambeau Field was renovated in time for the 2003 season at a cost of $295 million.
The project was financed jointly by the City of Green Bay, Brown County taxpayers, the Packers and the National Football League.
Brown County taxpayers approved a half-cent sales tax in 2000 to help finance the stadium makeover.
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