GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – As Green Bay prepares for the 2025 NFL Draft, when the city’s population is expected to triple, county officials are making important decisions to accommodate the visitors.

On Wednesday night, the Brown County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to open county-owned and operated campgrounds early for convocation attendees and raise rates to $100 per night with a three-night minimum stay.

Members of the Education and Leisure Committee believe this pricing is necessary to cope with increased demand and associated operating costs.

“We ran the numbers on everything from water and electricity bills to garbage collection and recycling services to employee time,” said Matt Kriese, Brown County Parks Director.

However, some committee members questioned this recommendation and said the price should be higher than $100 because other campgrounds in northeastern Wisconsin charge higher prices.

“I’m just saying there may be some opportunities here that we’re missing,” said Patrick Evans, Brown County Board member for District 9.

A request was made to amend the original proposal on the grounds that it might not be sufficient to cover possible cost fluctuations. Despite all efforts, the amendment ultimately failed and the original request was accepted.

“If we wanted to charge $200 a night just to make sure we were prepared for every eventuality, we could do that. But then we would be excluding the people who visit this county. Our expenses are best estimated at $100,” said Dan Theno, Brown County Board member for District 5.

The committee says consultations with cities such as Detroit and Kansas City, which previously hosted the draft, were fully reflected in the budget.

Now that the measures are approved for $100 per night, the department says it will let the public know when they can make a reservation online.

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