GREEN BAY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Gov. Tony Evers, alongside Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, announced the Evers Administration is awarding $1.8 million to the city of Green Bay for work done to support the 2025 NFL Draft. 

The grant, according to a news release, was funded through the Opportunity Attraction and Promotion Fund program, and will help the city of Green Bay, the village of Ashwaubenon, and Brown County cover security and other public safety costs associated with hosting the 2025 NFL Draft in April.

“The 2025 NFL Draft was a booming success, and I’ve said all along that nobody could have pulled it off other than the Green Bay Packers and the good folks in Green Bay and across the region. So, it was critically important to me that Green Bay and our local partners received the support they need to cover public safety costs, and I’m glad we were able to get this done,” said Gov. Evers. “For three days, Wisconsin had the national spotlight, showcasing all we have to offer, our world-class sporting and entertainment, and of course, our proud history as Titletown. Pulling off a national event like this off requires a lot of work, coordination, and partnership. I’m incredibly proud of those efforts and that we’re going to be providing these investments to support our local partners and the tremendous work that ensured the Draft went off without a hitch.”

To support Wisconsin’s recent success in recruiting and hosting large-scale events like the NFL Draft, Gov. Evers has proposed creating and funding a $30 million opportunity and attraction fund in his 2023-25 Biennial Budget. 

Approximately 600,000 attendees flocked to the three-day event in Green Bay, which has a population of just over 105,000.

Initial estimates projected the Draft will generate $94 million in economic activity across Wisconsin, including a $20 million benefit for the Green Bay area specifically.