It will be unique among real estate developments in that eight to 10 acres will be dedicated to the park.
– Mark Murphy, Green Bay Packers president and CEO

US National Football League (NFL) franchise the Green Bay Packers has revealed it is nearing completion on the first phase of its very own sports-anchored leisure district.

The club has selected sports architects Rossetti to masterplan the 34 acre Titletown District – located just west of its 81,400-capacity Lambeau Field stadium – with a design strategy focused on “the vibrancy of the public realm,” particularly on match days.

Designed as a multi-generational and multi-modal “destination district and community asset” for the entire Green Bay region of Wisconsin, phase one is due for completion by the end of 2017. It will centre around a park and public plaza located close to the team’s home ground and the local brewery.

This area will be comprised of four components – an activities zone, a 36,000sq ft (3,400sq m) playground, a full-length sports field and an ice skating and sledding hill area. It will be used for festivals, concerts, community events and tailgating during games.

The tubing lanes on the hill – which can be filled with artificial ice and snow in warmer months – will stretch 300ft (91.4m) from start to finish. The descending roofs of two buildings – housing a warming lodge, snack bar and skate and tube rental store – will provide the slope, which will lead down to an open skating area and an ice trail.

“One aspect of Titletown that hasn’t received a lot of attention is the public park,” said Packers’ president and CEO Mark Murphy. “But it will be unique among real estate developments in that eight to 10 acres will be dedicated to the park. It’ll be a tremendous asset for our community, and serve as an appealing attraction for visitors and future residents alike.”

The architecture of the district will reflect the industrial heritage of Green Bay, using a contemporary interpretation of local materials, such as brick, steel and cobblestone. This will be present in the Packer Plaza, which will be lined with low-rise commercial buildings to the north and townhomes along its southern edge.

Other parts of the district nearing completion include a four-star Lodge Kohler hotel, a Hinterland restaurant and a Bellin Health Sports medical clinic.

The franchise has been planning for the project for almost seven years, and hopes to build on the success of Lambeau Field’s major redevelopment in 2003, spurring further regional economic growth and interest in the team.