Ashwaubenon approves TIF assistance for Packers' Titletown District

Richard Ryman

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

ASHWAUBENON – The Green Bay Packers will get taxpayer assistance for development of the Titletown District.

The Ashwaubenon Village Board on Tuesday approved tax increment financing, or TIF, for the project. Money for TIF assistance does not come directly from a municipality's budget, but diverts new property tax revenue in the TIF district to the development project for a specified time.

Aerial photo of the Titletown District on June 16. At top left to bottom is Kroll's Restaurant West, Lodge Kohler and Hinterland Brewery. At right is the sledding hill and Bellin Health facility, all located off Ridge Road in Ashwaubenon. Kroll's is not part of the district.

The agreement is structured so the Packers will be reimbursed once the project begins generating new tax revenue. That protects the village from risk, said village attorney Tony Wachowitz, because payments are made after actual value, as opposed to projected value, is determined, and it saves the village from having to borrow the money in advance.

The Titletown District is the Packers' 35-acre commercial/recreational/residential development immediately west of Lambeau Field. All 35 acres are in Ashwaubenon.

Ashwaubenon approved paying the Packers 60 percent of the increment, net of village expenses.The increment is the amount of new taxes generated by the development. The Packers will not receive any portion of existing tax revenue. It is estimated the team's portion of new revenue could equal at least $12.5 million.

Wachowitz said Titletown District is projected to add $95 million in value to the village tax roll. Taxes on the 75 acres the Packers own in Ashwaubenon were $854,393 for 2016. Taxes on the 35-acre Titletown District will increase by $1 million or more per year.

The additional taxes will not be available to taxing entities until the TIF expires in 2029. Any money left in the TIF account at that time will go to the taxing bodies or reduce their levies.

Wachowitz said the Packers were treated as any other developer seeking TIF assistance to be used primarily for infrastructure work.

"There is a lot of utilities, upsizing of sanitary sewer, water mains, roads and sidewalks," he said. "The water table is challenging over there too."

This is the first instance of the Packers receiving direct taxpayer support since the 0.5 percent Brown County sales tax that was terminated in 2015. The tax paid for the 2003 renovation of Lambeau Field.

Titletown District includes Hinterland Brewery, Lodge Kohler and Bellin Health Titletown Sports Medicine & Orthopedics. Under construction is the Packers' park and plaza, 10 acres of snow hill, skating pond, game area, playgrounds and football field. Those areas are scheduled for completion in September.

According to village building permits, the Lodge Kohler hotel was valued at $45 million, Hinterland Brewery at $4.9 million and Bellin Health's clinic at $12 million.

The Packers say they have so far invested more than $65 million in Titletown District, much of that for land purchases and infrastructure improvements.