Lambeau Renovation Tax Revenue Would Go Back To Brown County Under Bill

Unused tax revenue that was collected to pay off a renovation to Lambeau Field will be returned to Brown County communities under a bill headed to the governor’s desk.

Earlier this year, the Brown County stadium district announced it had paid off all the bonds it issued to fund the renovation of Lambeau Field. But under law, it was still required to collect the Lambeau Field sales tax for six more months and hang onto the money until 2031.

The newly passed bill by Rep. David Steffen, R-Green Bay, changes that.

“What I’m doing is accelerating that time frame, moving it up to 2015 and returning that money to the taxpayers of Brown County through their communities,” said Steffen.

Under the bill, about $4 million of the extra revenue would go to redevelop the Brown County Arena.

Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach doesn’t know what the 24 cities, towns, and villages plan to do with their shares of the remaining $13 million, but said the legislation mandates the money be used for economic development, tax relief, or debt payments.

Either way Streckenbach said it’s a good thing when 17 million dollars flows into a region.

“Depending on how those dollars are spent it’s going to have a positive impact on our overall economy and certainly will benefit the community long term,” he said.

Gov. Scott Walker must sign the legislation before the money comes back to Northeastern Wisconsin.

Editor’s note: This story has been udated to include additional reporting from Patty Murray, including statements from Troy Streckenbach.