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When the NFL was founded roughly eighty years ago it was a small time, low budget
operation that existed in the small to mid size cities of the East and Midwest. During its
early years successful franchises were being operated in places such as Canton, Dayton,
Duluth, Evansville, Frankford, Green Bay, Portsmouth, Racine, and Rock Island. As the game
grew in its popularity, teams in these cities either folded up or moved to larger
metropolises such as Detroit and Cleveland, in order to compete with franchises located in
the more populous areas, and by the mid-thirties the small town professional football
franchise had become a thing of the past. A thing of the past that is, except in Green Bay,
Wisconsin where the Packers keep this small city of roughly 100,000 an entity on the major
North American sports scene.
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. Hop in your car
and chances are you will go down a street named "Holmgren Way", "Packerland Drive" or
"Lombardi Drive" 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 old hallowed grounds of 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 a marker show the spot where Packer football was once played.
Outside the venue
When gameday comes to Lambeau Field, prepare for an experience like no other. 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. If stadium lots aren't your
thing there are plenty of residents in the surrounding neighborhood willing give up their
driveways and lawns for a spot to park your car. Competition among neighbors is heavy as
many of these homes have elaborate signs stating what is available at their home, i.e.
GRILL, RESTROOMS, NO CARS BLOCKED IN!!! With the renovation of Lambeau reducing the
amount of stadium lot parking it seems that every last bit of space can and must be used for
the throngs of green and gold that make their way here on autumn Sundays. This along with
plenty of eateries and the like helps to create a super tailgate atmosphere regardless of
weather, (30 F) on our visit.
Several points of interest can be found within a short walk of the frozen tundra. The Green
Bay Packer Hall of Fame is a shrine to the finest ever to work for the green and gold...Curly
Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, and well over 100 others have their names enshrined
in this esteemed building. Plenty of exhibits and memorabilia dating back to the Packers
inception in 1919, not the least of which being the three Vince Lombardi trophies won by
the Packers. Just who is that Lombardi guy again??? The Brown County Arena sits directly
behind the Hall of Fame and is home of the UWGB basketball team and minor league
hockey?s Green Bay Gamblers. This building is soon to be replaced by a spectacular
looking facility going up right next door.
Lots of food and drink abound here, Brett Favre has a steakhouse in the vicinity amongst
many sports bars, all open on game day with outdoor tents, music and refreshments. If we
have to mention one place in particular however, it would be 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. A meal here at Kroll?s could most certainly
send you to a cardiologist faster than most places. Hmmm, which meal is going to block
your arteries quicker?? A burger at Kroll's West or a Primanti's sandwich in Pittsburgh
with its sausage sandwich with toppings of cole slaw and fries?? A tossup in our opinion.
The Concourses
A walk through the concourse here at Lambeau is like stepping into an era that existed long
before the modern era of stadium construction. One single concourse underneath the
grandstand with asphalt pavement, steel girders, columns supporting the grandstand
above, and plenty of temporary port a potty's abound to go along with some permanent
facilities. The concourse is kept up very well, which is an achievement in itself considering
all of the renovation dust around.
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 there is bench seating for roughly 60,000.
Cupholders, seatbacks, armrests??? Hardly! May we remind you this is Lambeau!!! Close to
200 suites ring the top of the seating bowl with the exception of the south end zone where
roughly a thousand indoor club seats are located. No scrolling ad panels, digital LED boards
or anything else of the like here, just a couple of simple ads and a large ONEIDA NATION
analog clock are all that is needed. Definitely one of the prettiest sights in all of sports?
Banners/Retired Numbers
On the façade of the suite level facing the playing field is where you can see the history of
this proud franchise. The seasons of the Packers 12 NFL Championships are listed at the
southeast corner, and above each sideline are a total of 19 members of the Packers
organization who have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
You know the names?.Starr, Hornung, Lombardi, heck why not put NFL Films voice John
Facenda up there for his often imitated (very poorly by Peter) phrase at the fro-zen TUN-dra
of LAM-BEAU FEE-ELD.
The Renovation
In 1999, the voters of Brown County, Wisconsin approved a ½ of one cent sales tax
increase to assist in funding a $295 million renovation and refurbishment of Lambeau.
Some of the major highlights of this massive undertaking are the addition of close to 10,000
seats, many of which are of the premium kind, and widened concourses with more facilities
and concessions. The prime attraction of this project will be a massive five story atrium
aptly named "Titletown", which will serve as the main entrance to the facility. Inside of this
spectacular work will be the Packer Hall of Fame and the Packer Pro Shop along with the
administrative offices of the Packer organization. When completed by fall of 2003 this grand
facility will be transformed into a showplace that can help the Packers remain fiscally
competitive in the future.
At the time of our arrival, the work was well underway as new infrastructure was
everywhere, up to and including the exterior steel work which made the old façade of
Lambeau tough to find in certain places. We were very happy to get to see the building just
in time before the old look and feel disappears under the construction.
Touchdowns, Extra Points, and Fumbles
Touchdown....to Green Bay Chronicle editor Ray Barrington for his columns about us which
appeared in the past two Friday editions. Just as important, thanks to Ray and his wife for
picking up a couple of roadtrippers from the Greyhound bus terminal, who needed a ride to
the airport to get our rental car. Amazingly enough, the Barringtons also had the time to
give us the quick tour of Green Bay when we showed up, thanks again!
Touchdown... to the Packers Hall of Fame, specifically P.R. Director Terry Charles and Tour
Supervisor Grant Turner and for giving us the VIP tour of this amazing tribute to one of
America?s storied institutions. Grant was outstanding at, in his own words ?espousing the
Gospel of the Green Bay Packers? and boy were we mesmerized! Thank you for a great time!
Extra Point....DA, DA, da-da-da-da, GO PACK GO!! The phenomenon known as the USRT karma
sends the home folks out of the stadium happy with a 30-7 win over old time NFL rival
Cleveland Browns. The win clinched a berth in the post season for the Pack and set off a
wild celebration at Lambeau. Unfortunately we were unable to witness it thanks to a?.
BLOWN CALL... to the NFL, for making a mid-season switch of the start time from 12 to 3:15
PM, thereby forcing us to leave the game early in the third quarter to make our plane home.
We put SO MUCH time and effort into finding a pair of tix (not easy!!), arranging a flight
schedule that fit the weekend (more on that below) and to see it all fall to shreds because
some silly exec thinks that ratings will be higher if the time is changed!!!
Fumble....to Northwest Airlines for detonating our flight itinerary at the last minute and
forcing us into a bizarre itinerary. What was at first a simple Buffalo to Green Bay round trip
with a connection in Detroit was turned into Buffalo to Minneapolis non stop; a bus to get
us to Green Bay (rental car drop much more expensive); and a return flight from Green Bay
to Rochester through Detroit. On the other hand...
Touchdown... To Northwest Airlines and Hertz rental car employees who went the extra two
and a half miles to see to it that we could catch as much of the game on Sunday as we
possibly could. Issuing boarding passes before the game and no waiting at the rental car
return. THANK YOU!!!
Touchdown ... To a sport franchises ultimate dream... the ENTIRE building is sold out via
season tickets, and a waiting list for season tickets approaches 56,000 requests. Yet being
a community owned team, this organization is very fan friendly and involves the people of
this town in just about every way possible in the care and upkeep of this franchise.
Extra Point... The scoreboard at Lambeau keeps track of total rushing and passing yardage
for each team, pretty neat.
Fumble... that same scoreboard area did a lame job of updating fans about out of town
scores. We know who won yesterday, how 'bout keeping up with today?s scores.
Summary
This is the type of venue that we walk out of and normally say ".2 stars" An old and
somewhat worn down facility with a narrow concourse and a less than comfortable seating
area, in an area that is far from downtown.? Yet this time we say WHO GIVES A RAT'S ***
ABOUT THAT!!!!!! Quite simply, there is no other place in football like Green Bay with its
rabid, loyal, and passionate fan base that loves to party long before, during, and after
games. And if you are a football fan, there?s no where else to be but bundled up in six
layers of clothing on a snowy, cold December day than in the bleachers at Lambeau just
waiting for your favorite Packer to come flying into your front row seat in the end zone after
another Packer TD. We give this place four stars along with this message to Green Bay - do
the renovation the right way and your rating might move up. Mess it up and your score
might fall. We will be back in 2003 and will have an update!
RATING: (1-5 stars): 4 STARS
operation that existed in the small to mid size cities of the East and Midwest. During its
early years successful franchises were being operated in places such as Canton, Dayton,
Duluth, Evansville, Frankford, Green Bay, Portsmouth, Racine, and Rock Island. As the game
grew in its popularity, teams in these cities either folded up or moved to larger
metropolises such as Detroit and Cleveland, in order to compete with franchises located in
the more populous areas, and by the mid-thirties the small town professional football
franchise had become a thing of the past. A thing of the past that is, except in Green Bay,
Wisconsin where the Packers keep this small city of roughly 100,000 an entity on the major
North American sports scene.
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. Hop in your car
and chances are you will go down a street named "Holmgren Way", "Packerland Drive" or
"Lombardi Drive" 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 old hallowed grounds of 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 a marker show the spot where Packer football was once played.
Outside the venue
When gameday comes to Lambeau Field, prepare for an experience like no other. 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. If stadium lots aren't your
thing there are plenty of residents in the surrounding neighborhood willing give up their
driveways and lawns for a spot to park your car. Competition among neighbors is heavy as
many of these homes have elaborate signs stating what is available at their home, i.e.
GRILL, RESTROOMS, NO CARS BLOCKED IN!!! With the renovation of Lambeau reducing the
amount of stadium lot parking it seems that every last bit of space can and must be used for
the throngs of green and gold that make their way here on autumn Sundays. This along with
plenty of eateries and the like helps to create a super tailgate atmosphere regardless of
weather, (30 F) on our visit.
Several points of interest can be found within a short walk of the frozen tundra. The Green
Bay Packer Hall of Fame is a shrine to the finest ever to work for the green and gold...Curly
Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, and well over 100 others have their names enshrined
in this esteemed building. Plenty of exhibits and memorabilia dating back to the Packers
inception in 1919, not the least of which being the three Vince Lombardi trophies won by
the Packers. Just who is that Lombardi guy again??? The Brown County Arena sits directly
behind the Hall of Fame and is home of the UWGB basketball team and minor league
hockey?s Green Bay Gamblers. This building is soon to be replaced by a spectacular
looking facility going up right next door.
Lots of food and drink abound here, Brett Favre has a steakhouse in the vicinity amongst
many sports bars, all open on game day with outdoor tents, music and refreshments. If we
have to mention one place in particular however, it would be 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. A meal here at Kroll?s could most certainly
send you to a cardiologist faster than most places. Hmmm, which meal is going to block
your arteries quicker?? A burger at Kroll's West or a Primanti's sandwich in Pittsburgh
with its sausage sandwich with toppings of cole slaw and fries?? A tossup in our opinion.
The Concourses
A walk through the concourse here at Lambeau is like stepping into an era that existed long
before the modern era of stadium construction. One single concourse underneath the
grandstand with asphalt pavement, steel girders, columns supporting the grandstand
above, and plenty of temporary port a potty's abound to go along with some permanent
facilities. The concourse is kept up very well, which is an achievement in itself considering
all of the renovation dust around.
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 there is bench seating for roughly 60,000.
Cupholders, seatbacks, armrests??? Hardly! May we remind you this is Lambeau!!! Close to
200 suites ring the top of the seating bowl with the exception of the south end zone where
roughly a thousand indoor club seats are located. No scrolling ad panels, digital LED boards
or anything else of the like here, just a couple of simple ads and a large ONEIDA NATION
analog clock are all that is needed. Definitely one of the prettiest sights in all of sports?
Banners/Retired Numbers
On the façade of the suite level facing the playing field is where you can see the history of
this proud franchise. The seasons of the Packers 12 NFL Championships are listed at the
southeast corner, and above each sideline are a total of 19 members of the Packers
organization who have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
You know the names?.Starr, Hornung, Lombardi, heck why not put NFL Films voice John
Facenda up there for his often imitated (very poorly by Peter) phrase at the fro-zen TUN-dra
of LAM-BEAU FEE-ELD.
The Renovation
In 1999, the voters of Brown County, Wisconsin approved a ½ of one cent sales tax
increase to assist in funding a $295 million renovation and refurbishment of Lambeau.
Some of the major highlights of this massive undertaking are the addition of close to 10,000
seats, many of which are of the premium kind, and widened concourses with more facilities
and concessions. The prime attraction of this project will be a massive five story atrium
aptly named "Titletown", which will serve as the main entrance to the facility. Inside of this
spectacular work will be the Packer Hall of Fame and the Packer Pro Shop along with the
administrative offices of the Packer organization. When completed by fall of 2003 this grand
facility will be transformed into a showplace that can help the Packers remain fiscally
competitive in the future.
At the time of our arrival, the work was well underway as new infrastructure was
everywhere, up to and including the exterior steel work which made the old façade of
Lambeau tough to find in certain places. We were very happy to get to see the building just
in time before the old look and feel disappears under the construction.
Touchdowns, Extra Points, and Fumbles
Touchdown....to Green Bay Chronicle editor Ray Barrington for his columns about us which
appeared in the past two Friday editions. Just as important, thanks to Ray and his wife for
picking up a couple of roadtrippers from the Greyhound bus terminal, who needed a ride to
the airport to get our rental car. Amazingly enough, the Barringtons also had the time to
give us the quick tour of Green Bay when we showed up, thanks again!
Touchdown... to the Packers Hall of Fame, specifically P.R. Director Terry Charles and Tour
Supervisor Grant Turner and for giving us the VIP tour of this amazing tribute to one of
America?s storied institutions. Grant was outstanding at, in his own words ?espousing the
Gospel of the Green Bay Packers? and boy were we mesmerized! Thank you for a great time!
Extra Point....DA, DA, da-da-da-da, GO PACK GO!! The phenomenon known as the USRT karma
sends the home folks out of the stadium happy with a 30-7 win over old time NFL rival
Cleveland Browns. The win clinched a berth in the post season for the Pack and set off a
wild celebration at Lambeau. Unfortunately we were unable to witness it thanks to a?.
BLOWN CALL... to the NFL, for making a mid-season switch of the start time from 12 to 3:15
PM, thereby forcing us to leave the game early in the third quarter to make our plane home.
We put SO MUCH time and effort into finding a pair of tix (not easy!!), arranging a flight
schedule that fit the weekend (more on that below) and to see it all fall to shreds because
some silly exec thinks that ratings will be higher if the time is changed!!!
Fumble....to Northwest Airlines for detonating our flight itinerary at the last minute and
forcing us into a bizarre itinerary. What was at first a simple Buffalo to Green Bay round trip
with a connection in Detroit was turned into Buffalo to Minneapolis non stop; a bus to get
us to Green Bay (rental car drop much more expensive); and a return flight from Green Bay
to Rochester through Detroit. On the other hand...
Touchdown... To Northwest Airlines and Hertz rental car employees who went the extra two
and a half miles to see to it that we could catch as much of the game on Sunday as we
possibly could. Issuing boarding passes before the game and no waiting at the rental car
return. THANK YOU!!!
Touchdown ... To a sport franchises ultimate dream... the ENTIRE building is sold out via
season tickets, and a waiting list for season tickets approaches 56,000 requests. Yet being
a community owned team, this organization is very fan friendly and involves the people of
this town in just about every way possible in the care and upkeep of this franchise.
Extra Point... The scoreboard at Lambeau keeps track of total rushing and passing yardage
for each team, pretty neat.
Fumble... that same scoreboard area did a lame job of updating fans about out of town
scores. We know who won yesterday, how 'bout keeping up with today?s scores.
Summary
This is the type of venue that we walk out of and normally say ".2 stars" An old and
somewhat worn down facility with a narrow concourse and a less than comfortable seating
area, in an area that is far from downtown.? Yet this time we say WHO GIVES A RAT'S ***
ABOUT THAT!!!!!! Quite simply, there is no other place in football like Green Bay with its
rabid, loyal, and passionate fan base that loves to party long before, during, and after
games. And if you are a football fan, there?s no where else to be but bundled up in six
layers of clothing on a snowy, cold December day than in the bleachers at Lambeau just
waiting for your favorite Packer to come flying into your front row seat in the end zone after
another Packer TD. We give this place four stars along with this message to Green Bay - do
the renovation the right way and your rating might move up. Mess it up and your score
might fall. We will be back in 2003 and will have an update!
RATING: (1-5 stars): 4 STARS
| Lambeau Field |
#104
Lambeau
Field
Green Bay,
Wisconsin
December
23, 2001
Cleveland
Browns
at
Green Bay
Packers
Lambeau
Field
Green Bay,
Wisconsin
December
23, 2001
Cleveland
Browns
at
Green Bay
Packers
