Stories you may have missed from around Wisconsin.
Ashwaubenon: Residents most concerned about parking and travel during NFL Draft.
Green Bay and the surrounding area are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the NFL Draft festivities next month. In addition to the anticipation, there are some concerns that are worrying Ashwaubenon residents, mostly getting around and parking during the event. The maps laying out street closures for the NFL draft look imposing, but organizers assure residents and businesses they’ll be able to get around, one way or another. Streets, parking and road closures took up the lion’s share of discussion about the draft at the Ashwaubenon informational meeting last week. The Draft presentation was essentially the same as the one on the City of Green Bay YouTube page. The Press Gazette reported that Jennifer Marks, an NFL representative involved in the planning told the crowd, “We will not restrict access for you to live and work.” The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 24-26 on the Lambeau Field campus and some surrounding blocks. Attendance is projected at 250,000. The draft is expected to generate a $94 million economic impact statewide and $20 million locally. Full Story
Milwaukee: PrideFest Milwaukee braces for sponsorship decline.
D.E.I. and proposed tariffs have been coming under fire quite a lot lately. The pullback from diversity initiatives depressing sponsorships and tariffs increasing costs, PrideFest Milwaukee has been preparing for big changes to how it plans and operates its 2025 festival, including raising ticket prices. PrideFest anticipates a significant drop in sponsorships this year as a result of President Donald Trump’s executive orders around diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Milwaukee Business Journal reported that Milwaukee Pride CEO Wes Shaver said the festival anticipates sponsorships and partnerships will drop by around $50,000, a 30% decrease which he claimed are “directly related to Trump’s anti-DEI and anti-LGBT rhetoric.” Sponsorships make up between 12% and 14% of the festival’s total revenue. Shaver went on to say, “Folks now are afraid that if they sponsor, let’s say PrideFest, does the administration and its investigators assume this is an initiative of their DEI efforts? I’m involved in these conversations with longtime partners, and it can be seen as a blurry conversation.” Last year, PrideFest had 32 sponsorships and community partners. Shaver said it is unclear what the future looks like as the festival adapts. Full Story
