Green Bay – Today, State Representative Amaad Rivera-Wagner (D–Green Bay) thanked Governor Tony Evers for awarding nearly $2 million to the City of Green Bay and surrounding communities to help cover public safety costs from the historic 2025 NFL Draft.
“These dollars are a win for Green Bay and proof that, even in a broken political system, government can still show up and do what’s right,” said Rep. Rivera-Wagner. “Despite partisan roadblocks, Governor Evers found a way to invest directly in our public safety and support our local officers, firefighters, and emergency responders.”
Rep. Rivera-Wagner had originally requested this funding in the 2025 state budget. Governor Evers included it, but the Republican-led Joint Finance Committee removed the provision—despite bipartisan interest in supporting communities hosting large-scale events like the Draft.
“This is exactly why people lose faith in government—because good, common-sense ideas get pulled apart for political reasons,” said Rivera-Wagner. “But this is also why I keep fighting. Because moments like this remind us that when leaders are focused on people—not politics—we can make things happen.”
The 2025 NFL Draft brought an estimated 600,000 visitors to Green Bay and generated approximately \$94 million in economic impact across the region. Public safety efforts during the three-day event were widely praised, with just one arrest reported on the draft campus.
“This funding not only helps reimburse the incredible work done by our local first responders—it sends a message that Green Bay matters. That our city is worth investing in. And that when we step up to host something on a national stage, we deserve real partnership from the state,” said Rivera-Wagner.
