Packers make another land purchase near Lambeau Field

ASHWAUBENON — The Green Bay Packers acquired a piece of property at 1070 Blue Ridge Drive in February.

The Packers, through their Green Bay Development LLC entity, own four parcels adjacent to the property on three sides. The purchase gives the team ownership of 310 feet of property west of True Lane and bordered by Brookwood and Blue Ridge drives. The Packers also own the land between True Lane and South Ridge Road that is north of Kroll's West restaurant.

Sanjay Patel received $250,000 for 1070 Blue Ridge Drive, which contained a single-family home, according to the Brown County register of deeds. The land is assessed at $151,200. Taxes on it for 2014 were $2,823.30. The deal was closed Feb. 16 and filed in March.

The team now owns 63 properties west, east and south of Lambeau Field in Ashwaubenon totaling about 66 acres and assessed at $48.9 million. Taxes on the property they own totaled $965,815 for 2014.

The Packers do not comment on property acquisitions.

The organization owns all of the property in the area bordered by Lombardi Avenue, South Ridge Road, Brookwood Drive and Marlee Lane. The Packers have indicated they plan income-producing commercial development in that large block.

They have not disclosed development plans for the area, but razed most of the buildings there during the past year. Buildings still standing include U.S. Bank, Sideline Sports Bar and a strip mall on South Ridge Road. Only the bank and part of the strip mall remain open. Crews are preparing Road Star Inn and Sideline Sports Bar for demolition.

The Packers' only development so far is the Cabela's outdoor sporting goods store at Lombardi Avenue and Argonne Street near U.S. 41, which is not adjacent to the South Ridge-to-Marlee block, but is the gateway property to the Lambeau Field district.

The Packers' property south of Lambeau Field is used for parking, and team president and CEO Mark Murphy has said it will not be used for commercial development.

Also, the team owns land east of the stadium along Mike McCarthy Way, formerly Potts Avenue.

— rryman@greenbaypressgazette.com and follow him on Twitter @RichRymanPG or on Facebook at Richard Ryman-Press-Gazette. Contact him at (920) 431-8342.