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Green Bay Signs Off on Shipyard Project

Green Bay Bullfrogs

Plans for a new Green Bay Bullfrogs (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) ballpark have taken a step forward, as the Green Bay City Council has approved development agreements for the project. 

The plan in Green Bay calls for the Bullfrogs to receive a new 4,000-seat ballpark as part of the Shipyard development. Along with the ballpark, the project in downtown Green Bay would come with other features, including and Anduzzi’s restaurant and a 2,000-person capacity indoor concert hall led by Festival Foods president and CEO Mark Skogen.

On Tuesday, the Green Bay City Council moved the project forward by approving development agreements as part of an 8-3 vote. During that process, the council approved a plan for a subsidiary of Big Top Baseball–parent company of the Bullfrogs–to manage events at the facility. More from The Green Bay Press-Gazette:

Council members also approved an agreement with Broadway Events LLC, a subsidiary of Bullfrogs’ owner Big Top Baseball, to manage the outdoor events center. Under the deal, the company will invest $1 million in the events center, pay $225,000 per year in rent for 20 years and contribute $500,000 (which the RDA would match) to a maintenance fund for the events center.

Big Top Baseball will be allowed to keep all revenue from concessions, parking and naming rights to the stadium, an arrangement city Economic Development Director Kevin Vonck has said is fair to taxpayers because the city gets a secure lease payment every year.

The city plans to borrow up to $12 million to help pay for the project. Vonck said he believes that investment will spur enough additional development — estimated at around $30 million — that the increased tax base will cover the debt payments.

Already, several organizations have expressed interest in building near the Shipyard site. Breakthrough Fuel has said it would consider consolidating its headquarters there and two development companies are eyeing the area for potential apartment buildings, according to letters of support the entities sent the city.

The ballpark has been pitched as a venue that will have the ability to host multiple types of events, with soccer and outdoor concerts among the possibilities in addition to the Bullfrogs. As part of the ongoing planning process, private investors will still have to sign off on the development agreements.

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