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US In 2001 we made our first trip to Lambeau Field, and got to see a stadium just beginning to
undergo a massive renovation and transformation. We vowed right then and there that we
would return to see how it all turned out. Heck, no need to twist our arms for a trip to Green
Bay to see some football! So here we are, back to experience football in a place like no
other, and in the NEW Lambeau Field..."The Rebirth of a Legend".
Packers football is an institution here... it is a religion... and the team impacts the very fibre
of this community in a very big way. So is it any surprise that the voters of this county
approved a 1/2 percent sales tax dedicated to fund stadium improvements? The resulting
plan was a total overhaul and facelift of Lambeau Field, a reconstruction costing $295M,
and the venue standing today is a vastly different experience than the old Lambeau Field
that people had been accustomed to. Yet in other ways it retains the same look and
ambience, and gratefully, a day of football here has not been sanitized into some bland
corporate experience.
Getting to the venue
With a small town population, getting to the stadium is simple, with easy road access from
any direction to the south end of Green Bay where the venue is located. The main
expressway through town is US 41, exit on Lombardi Avenue and you are two blocks from
the stadium. Hop in your car and chances are you will drive down a street named
"Holmgren Way", "Packerland Drive" or "Lombardi Avenue" while enroute, and
businesses such as "Titletown Collision" and "Titletown Brewing Company" will be in your
sights. Clearly, this city's football team is meshed with the community's culture like
nowhere else in America. If you have the time, stop by the grounds of old City Stadium,
former home of the Packers and now the playing field for a local high school. The old
clubhouse still stands and replica gates, turnstiles and iron fence are in place to give an
idea of where the stadium once stood. Parking spots at Lambeau are reserved for permit
holders, but there is plenty of general parking in private lots at business and homes. Prices
start at $20-$25 but drop quickly if you are willing to walk a few blocks (we found a $5 lot
three blocks away). More than a few homes offer amenities such as use of their bathroom
facilities and backyard grills to entice parking patrons.
Outside the venue
When gameday comes to Lambeau Field, prepare for an extraordinary experience. The
stadium lots open four hours before game time and the lines at the turn lanes stretch for
quite a distance leading to the entrances long before they open. Then there are the bars,
eateries and hotels surrounding the stadium, as well as the sparkling new Resch Center,
the city's 12,000 seat arena all open for business. There are tailgates, street parties, live
music, street vendors, barbecues and other entertainment everywhere, and fans packs the
streets hours before the game to soak up the scene. Even in the cold weather, lots of
drinking establishments set up large tents outside their buildings and invite fans for some
pre and post game libations and entertainment.
A couple of establishments deserve special mention, Brett Favre has a steakhouse in the
vicinity amongst many sports bars. Again we have to mention one place in particular, and
that is Kroll's West Restaurant, directly across from Lambeau. This Green Bay institution
opened up in 1936 and is famous for its chili and most notably, its burgers with toppings
such as ketchup, onions, and two slabs of butter...yes, you read that correctly. Radio
personality Jim Rome once mentioned that Green Bay stands amongst the fattest cities in
America, that after being offered shots of ranch dressing at his tour stop here. With all this
plus the brats and cheese we also know that folks here love their cholesterol!
The Lambeau Field Atrium
With the renovation now completed, this venue stakes the claim of being the first "retro"
stadium in the NFL. Brick facade, stone accents and wrought iron dominate the exterior
architecture, reminiscent of the new baseball parks erected during the last 15 years. The
main entrance is on the northeast corner of the building and that is where you will find the
stupendous Atrium at Lambeau Field. The beautifully landscaped and flowered entrance
plaza outside makes for a great meeting spot and photo op, and people were lined up
waiting to take their pictures at the massive statues of Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi.
Step inside, and your senses will be dazzled, for here you will see a soaring five story
atrium all flooded in natural light and beautifully tiled and decorated. Some of the facilities
you will find in the atrium - the two level team store, with doors to the outside and to the
lobby. Then there is the Packers Hall of Fame, relocated from their former home across the
street from the stadium. Curly's Pub is on the second floor, a restaurant and bar with plenty
of table seating and TVs to enjoy the game. Some specialty concession stands, including
Brett Favre's stand are also exclusive to the Atrium. And we should mention an interactive
game area and entertainment zone, also on the second floor. Glass view elevators and
escalator towers provide a great view of the whole setup while riding upstairs. And
balconies overlook the lobby from each level. Clearly, they have built a facility that is not
only for use on ten game dates, but is a year round entertainment destination. And they did
it with taste and style!
Concourses
The renovation more than doubled the width of concourses and turned this from a one
concourse to a two concourse facility. They maintained the "retro" look by keeping the old
steel support beams and framework in place and even the old stenciled section signage,
but painted and repaved the areas to give everything a fresh look. Concession stands
were all given new canopies and old fashioned light fixtures. But the coolest decorative
features are the ad panels and great moments exhibits amply scattered throughout the
corridors. All signage here is black and white, the ads are old fashioned and "retro", and
the historical murals are all done very nicely. The building is easy to navigate, until making
your way into the seating area. That's where things get a bit dicey...
Seating Area
One of the most famous seating bowls in all of sports, again we cannot emphasize enough
about the old time feel of this place as it is something you cannot wholly recreate. Seating
capacity was expanded and is now at roughly 70,000. Even with the renovation, the overall
look of the seating bowl was left unchanged. Still bench seating with stenciled seat
numbers, very narrow aisles and stairwells, and the only armchair seats in the building are
the outdoor club seats on the east sideline. Indoor club seats and suites ring the top of the
building on three sides, but the seating bowl is totally open air and very intimate. New
scoreboards and video boards have been installed high above each end zone, and we
were sorry to see the massive analog "Oneida Nation" clock gone. No digital LED boards or
high tech gizmos here... the distinctive look was kept intact.
Concessions
With the renovation comes lots of good food, and the coolest concessions are located in or
near the Atrium. Brett Favre's Two Minute Grill offers steak sandwiches and jambalaya;
Fratello's is an Italian stand offering lasagna, fettucini alfredo and a dish called "tiramisu".
We have no clue what that is. Chili Johns offers home made chili and chili dogs and the
Meat Packing Company(where the name Packers comes from) sells jumbo sandwiches.
Pizza, chicken sandwiches and of course brats can be found throughout the stadium. The
main team store is off the Atrium lobby with other merchandise stands around the building.
Premium seating
The renovation added a good number of indoor club seats and suites, and outdoor club
seats, all with access to a private concourse on the fifth floor and overlooking the Atrium.
Interesting here that in addition to the obligatory lounge areas, carpeted floors and bars,
there is an area called the "Legends Club", with outdoor balconies, indoor table seating
and configured to serve as conference/banquet space on non game days. All very practical!
Banners/Retired Numbers
On the façade of the suites ringing the playing field is where you can see the history of this
proud franchise. The seasons of the Packers 12 NFL Championships are here, and on their
ring of honor are a total of 20 members of the Packers organization who have been
enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. But the best of the best are
reserved for the stadium's south end zone - the Packers four retired numbers #3 Tony
Canadeo, #14 Don Hutson, #15 Bart Starr and #66 Ray Nitschke are displayed here.
Touchdowns, Extra Points, and Fumbles
Touchdown...to Green Bay Packers fans who have sold out this building and support the
team like no other in any of the four major sports. Season ticket waiting list requests top
60,000 seats. The team maintains a separate season ticket base of "Milwaukee tickets",
dating back to their playing days at Milwaukee County Stadium as well. Packers tickets are
the hottest thing going in the state of Wisconsin and that is not going to change anytime in
the forseeable future.
Touchdown... to the Packers front office for making a small float of tickets available to the
single ticket buyer. Here's how it works... during the summer residents of Brown County
show up and enter a "ticket lottery". One must sign up for four seats and if you are
selected, they come in the mail and your credit card is charged. The downside... you don't
know what game you are getting, it is all the luck of the draw.
Fumble...to the USRT Karma...again we wanted to will the home team to a victory, but the
hometown Packers blew a 17 point lead in the fourth quarter and the game went into
overtime. The undefeated Kansas City Chiefs won the toss and marched down the field, but
their field goal attempt was blocked. The Karma strikes!!! But it was short lived as the
Packers fumbled on the next play. KC quarterback Trent Green threw a long touchdown
strike on the subsequent play and it was lights out. KC 40, GB 34.
Extra Point.. As with the old set up, the new scoreboard at Lambeau keeps track of total
rushing and passing yardage for each team.
Extra point... another unique fact about this franchise - it is community owned. People own
shares to the team and elect a board of directors, who in turn appoint officers to run the
team. Don't expect to make a financial killing though. The stock pays no dividends and is
not traded on the open market. Plus ownership is capped at 200,000 shares, insuring that
no billionaire swoops in with a hostile takeover bid.
Touchdown... and props to MARK SCHIEFELBEIN of the Packers front office who made
precious game tickets available for two desperate road trippers from Buffalo, terrific seats
14 rows off the field no less. Thanks Mark and we are pleased to induct you into the USRT
Hall of Fame with our appreciation.
Fumble... To Continental Airlines... what is it about our plans to go to Green Bay that things
always go haywire?! We were forced to DRIVE (yea, we know....we're the Ultimate Sports
ROAD Trip! Quit yer whining, right!!!) here, this after we arrived at the airport, saw our flight
was delayed, we would miss our connection, and the airline couldn't even promise us seats
even the next day since it was a holiday weekend and all their flights were full. To top it off,
we have a non refundable ticket, so no money back, but we have one year to use the
tickets for full value less a $100 per ticket "change fee". A change fee? A CHANGE FEE?
You almost ruin our entire weekend and now this?! You can't be serious Continental!!!
(Andrew made the call to their customer service department, and yes, they waived the "change
fee". Can you imagine the nerve of these people?!)
Extra point... Hand painted advertisements on brick walls. Holy Conseco Fieldhouse!!! Many
concourse design elements seem to mimic the wonderful and nostalgic feel of Indianapolis'
great temple to basketball. The finishing touches and decor throughout this venue are
outstanding!
Touchdown... To the Packers, for not putting some corporate name on Lambeau Field,
which would be the ultimate slap in the face to such a hallowed ground. Similar to
Cleveland Browns Stadium they let the big corporations such as Verizon and Miller Beer
fight over the naming rights to the gates to the stadium.
Summary
Tailgating and football here in "Titletown" is as pure and good as it gets anywhere in the
National Football League. People here are so nice, so friendly, so down to earth and they
just love their Packers. But in these days in sports, it's all about suites, it's all about
corporate sponsors, hospitality tents, big dollars. Here was our biggest fear - Would the
renovation of the stadium crowd out the average fan? Would the expansion turn Lambeau
Field into a playpen for the corporations and the conglomerates? Think it couldn't happen
here? Just talk to Redskins fans, who wax poetic about their old RFK Stadium and rail about
sterile and expensive Fedex Field and you get the picture.
The answer here is just good, good news - the great and noble Packers football experience
has been left intact. It's all here - the brats, the tailgates, the cheeseheads, the party
atmosphere in a small town, yet they have a beautifully reconstituted stadium with all the
modern bells and whistles to call home.
Let's pose this hypothetical question... "If I am attending a pro football game for the very
first time, and I have 32 NFL teams to pick from, where should I go?" The answer from the
Ultimate Sports Road Trip: "Green Bay". And for a final rating that can only mean one
conclusion...
SCORING:
Architecture: 8
Food and team store 9
Scoreboard and electronics 6.5
Ushers 7
Fan support 10
Location and neighborhood 8
Banners and history 9
In game entertainment 5
Concourses/fan comfort 8
Bonus: Tailgate scene 3, USRT assist 2, Atrium 1, Hall of Fame 1, Titletown 1
Total 78.5
undergo a massive renovation and transformation. We vowed right then and there that we
would return to see how it all turned out. Heck, no need to twist our arms for a trip to Green
Bay to see some football! So here we are, back to experience football in a place like no
other, and in the NEW Lambeau Field..."The Rebirth of a Legend".
Packers football is an institution here... it is a religion... and the team impacts the very fibre
of this community in a very big way. So is it any surprise that the voters of this county
approved a 1/2 percent sales tax dedicated to fund stadium improvements? The resulting
plan was a total overhaul and facelift of Lambeau Field, a reconstruction costing $295M,
and the venue standing today is a vastly different experience than the old Lambeau Field
that people had been accustomed to. Yet in other ways it retains the same look and
ambience, and gratefully, a day of football here has not been sanitized into some bland
corporate experience.
Getting to the venue
With a small town population, getting to the stadium is simple, with easy road access from
any direction to the south end of Green Bay where the venue is located. The main
expressway through town is US 41, exit on Lombardi Avenue and you are two blocks from
the stadium. Hop in your car and chances are you will drive down a street named
"Holmgren Way", "Packerland Drive" or "Lombardi Avenue" while enroute, and
businesses such as "Titletown Collision" and "Titletown Brewing Company" will be in your
sights. Clearly, this city's football team is meshed with the community's culture like
nowhere else in America. If you have the time, stop by the grounds of old City Stadium,
former home of the Packers and now the playing field for a local high school. The old
clubhouse still stands and replica gates, turnstiles and iron fence are in place to give an
idea of where the stadium once stood. Parking spots at Lambeau are reserved for permit
holders, but there is plenty of general parking in private lots at business and homes. Prices
start at $20-$25 but drop quickly if you are willing to walk a few blocks (we found a $5 lot
three blocks away). More than a few homes offer amenities such as use of their bathroom
facilities and backyard grills to entice parking patrons.
Outside the venue
When gameday comes to Lambeau Field, prepare for an extraordinary experience. The
stadium lots open four hours before game time and the lines at the turn lanes stretch for
quite a distance leading to the entrances long before they open. Then there are the bars,
eateries and hotels surrounding the stadium, as well as the sparkling new Resch Center,
the city's 12,000 seat arena all open for business. There are tailgates, street parties, live
music, street vendors, barbecues and other entertainment everywhere, and fans packs the
streets hours before the game to soak up the scene. Even in the cold weather, lots of
drinking establishments set up large tents outside their buildings and invite fans for some
pre and post game libations and entertainment.
A couple of establishments deserve special mention, Brett Favre has a steakhouse in the
vicinity amongst many sports bars. Again we have to mention one place in particular, and
that is Kroll's West Restaurant, directly across from Lambeau. This Green Bay institution
opened up in 1936 and is famous for its chili and most notably, its burgers with toppings
such as ketchup, onions, and two slabs of butter...yes, you read that correctly. Radio
personality Jim Rome once mentioned that Green Bay stands amongst the fattest cities in
America, that after being offered shots of ranch dressing at his tour stop here. With all this
plus the brats and cheese we also know that folks here love their cholesterol!
The Lambeau Field Atrium
With the renovation now completed, this venue stakes the claim of being the first "retro"
stadium in the NFL. Brick facade, stone accents and wrought iron dominate the exterior
architecture, reminiscent of the new baseball parks erected during the last 15 years. The
main entrance is on the northeast corner of the building and that is where you will find the
stupendous Atrium at Lambeau Field. The beautifully landscaped and flowered entrance
plaza outside makes for a great meeting spot and photo op, and people were lined up
waiting to take their pictures at the massive statues of Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi.
Step inside, and your senses will be dazzled, for here you will see a soaring five story
atrium all flooded in natural light and beautifully tiled and decorated. Some of the facilities
you will find in the atrium - the two level team store, with doors to the outside and to the
lobby. Then there is the Packers Hall of Fame, relocated from their former home across the
street from the stadium. Curly's Pub is on the second floor, a restaurant and bar with plenty
of table seating and TVs to enjoy the game. Some specialty concession stands, including
Brett Favre's stand are also exclusive to the Atrium. And we should mention an interactive
game area and entertainment zone, also on the second floor. Glass view elevators and
escalator towers provide a great view of the whole setup while riding upstairs. And
balconies overlook the lobby from each level. Clearly, they have built a facility that is not
only for use on ten game dates, but is a year round entertainment destination. And they did
it with taste and style!
Concourses
The renovation more than doubled the width of concourses and turned this from a one
concourse to a two concourse facility. They maintained the "retro" look by keeping the old
steel support beams and framework in place and even the old stenciled section signage,
but painted and repaved the areas to give everything a fresh look. Concession stands
were all given new canopies and old fashioned light fixtures. But the coolest decorative
features are the ad panels and great moments exhibits amply scattered throughout the
corridors. All signage here is black and white, the ads are old fashioned and "retro", and
the historical murals are all done very nicely. The building is easy to navigate, until making
your way into the seating area. That's where things get a bit dicey...
Seating Area
One of the most famous seating bowls in all of sports, again we cannot emphasize enough
about the old time feel of this place as it is something you cannot wholly recreate. Seating
capacity was expanded and is now at roughly 70,000. Even with the renovation, the overall
look of the seating bowl was left unchanged. Still bench seating with stenciled seat
numbers, very narrow aisles and stairwells, and the only armchair seats in the building are
the outdoor club seats on the east sideline. Indoor club seats and suites ring the top of the
building on three sides, but the seating bowl is totally open air and very intimate. New
scoreboards and video boards have been installed high above each end zone, and we
were sorry to see the massive analog "Oneida Nation" clock gone. No digital LED boards or
high tech gizmos here... the distinctive look was kept intact.
Concessions
With the renovation comes lots of good food, and the coolest concessions are located in or
near the Atrium. Brett Favre's Two Minute Grill offers steak sandwiches and jambalaya;
Fratello's is an Italian stand offering lasagna, fettucini alfredo and a dish called "tiramisu".
We have no clue what that is. Chili Johns offers home made chili and chili dogs and the
Meat Packing Company(where the name Packers comes from) sells jumbo sandwiches.
Pizza, chicken sandwiches and of course brats can be found throughout the stadium. The
main team store is off the Atrium lobby with other merchandise stands around the building.
Premium seating
The renovation added a good number of indoor club seats and suites, and outdoor club
seats, all with access to a private concourse on the fifth floor and overlooking the Atrium.
Interesting here that in addition to the obligatory lounge areas, carpeted floors and bars,
there is an area called the "Legends Club", with outdoor balconies, indoor table seating
and configured to serve as conference/banquet space on non game days. All very practical!
Banners/Retired Numbers
On the façade of the suites ringing the playing field is where you can see the history of this
proud franchise. The seasons of the Packers 12 NFL Championships are here, and on their
ring of honor are a total of 20 members of the Packers organization who have been
enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. But the best of the best are
reserved for the stadium's south end zone - the Packers four retired numbers #3 Tony
Canadeo, #14 Don Hutson, #15 Bart Starr and #66 Ray Nitschke are displayed here.
Touchdowns, Extra Points, and Fumbles
Touchdown...to Green Bay Packers fans who have sold out this building and support the
team like no other in any of the four major sports. Season ticket waiting list requests top
60,000 seats. The team maintains a separate season ticket base of "Milwaukee tickets",
dating back to their playing days at Milwaukee County Stadium as well. Packers tickets are
the hottest thing going in the state of Wisconsin and that is not going to change anytime in
the forseeable future.
Touchdown... to the Packers front office for making a small float of tickets available to the
single ticket buyer. Here's how it works... during the summer residents of Brown County
show up and enter a "ticket lottery". One must sign up for four seats and if you are
selected, they come in the mail and your credit card is charged. The downside... you don't
know what game you are getting, it is all the luck of the draw.
Fumble...to the USRT Karma...again we wanted to will the home team to a victory, but the
hometown Packers blew a 17 point lead in the fourth quarter and the game went into
overtime. The undefeated Kansas City Chiefs won the toss and marched down the field, but
their field goal attempt was blocked. The Karma strikes!!! But it was short lived as the
Packers fumbled on the next play. KC quarterback Trent Green threw a long touchdown
strike on the subsequent play and it was lights out. KC 40, GB 34.
Extra Point.. As with the old set up, the new scoreboard at Lambeau keeps track of total
rushing and passing yardage for each team.
Extra point... another unique fact about this franchise - it is community owned. People own
shares to the team and elect a board of directors, who in turn appoint officers to run the
team. Don't expect to make a financial killing though. The stock pays no dividends and is
not traded on the open market. Plus ownership is capped at 200,000 shares, insuring that
no billionaire swoops in with a hostile takeover bid.
Touchdown... and props to MARK SCHIEFELBEIN of the Packers front office who made
precious game tickets available for two desperate road trippers from Buffalo, terrific seats
14 rows off the field no less. Thanks Mark and we are pleased to induct you into the USRT
Hall of Fame with our appreciation.
Fumble... To Continental Airlines... what is it about our plans to go to Green Bay that things
always go haywire?! We were forced to DRIVE (yea, we know....we're the Ultimate Sports
ROAD Trip! Quit yer whining, right!!!) here, this after we arrived at the airport, saw our flight
was delayed, we would miss our connection, and the airline couldn't even promise us seats
even the next day since it was a holiday weekend and all their flights were full. To top it off,
we have a non refundable ticket, so no money back, but we have one year to use the
tickets for full value less a $100 per ticket "change fee". A change fee? A CHANGE FEE?
You almost ruin our entire weekend and now this?! You can't be serious Continental!!!
(Andrew made the call to their customer service department, and yes, they waived the "change
fee". Can you imagine the nerve of these people?!)
Extra point... Hand painted advertisements on brick walls. Holy Conseco Fieldhouse!!! Many
concourse design elements seem to mimic the wonderful and nostalgic feel of Indianapolis'
great temple to basketball. The finishing touches and decor throughout this venue are
outstanding!
Touchdown... To the Packers, for not putting some corporate name on Lambeau Field,
which would be the ultimate slap in the face to such a hallowed ground. Similar to
Cleveland Browns Stadium they let the big corporations such as Verizon and Miller Beer
fight over the naming rights to the gates to the stadium.
Summary
Tailgating and football here in "Titletown" is as pure and good as it gets anywhere in the
National Football League. People here are so nice, so friendly, so down to earth and they
just love their Packers. But in these days in sports, it's all about suites, it's all about
corporate sponsors, hospitality tents, big dollars. Here was our biggest fear - Would the
renovation of the stadium crowd out the average fan? Would the expansion turn Lambeau
Field into a playpen for the corporations and the conglomerates? Think it couldn't happen
here? Just talk to Redskins fans, who wax poetic about their old RFK Stadium and rail about
sterile and expensive Fedex Field and you get the picture.
The answer here is just good, good news - the great and noble Packers football experience
has been left intact. It's all here - the brats, the tailgates, the cheeseheads, the party
atmosphere in a small town, yet they have a beautifully reconstituted stadium with all the
modern bells and whistles to call home.
Let's pose this hypothetical question... "If I am attending a pro football game for the very
first time, and I have 32 NFL teams to pick from, where should I go?" The answer from the
Ultimate Sports Road Trip: "Green Bay". And for a final rating that can only mean one
conclusion...
SCORING:
Architecture: 8
Food and team store 9
Scoreboard and electronics 6.5
Ushers 7
Fan support 10
Location and neighborhood 8
Banners and history 9
In game entertainment 5
Concourses/fan comfort 8
Bonus: Tailgate scene 3, USRT assist 2, Atrium 1, Hall of Fame 1, Titletown 1
Total 78.5
| Lambeau Field |
Lambeau
Field
Green Bay,
Wisconsin
October 12,
2003
Kansas
City Chiefs
at Green
Bay
Packers
Field
Green Bay,
Wisconsin
October 12,
2003
Kansas
City Chiefs
at Green
Bay
Packers
