Wisconsin
Green Bay’s NFL Draft and Oshkosh’s EAA helped set record for Wisconsin tourism
(WLUK) — It was another record-breaking year for Wisconsin tourism.
The Wisconsin Department of Tourism reported a record-high $27 billion in total economic impact in 2025, a record-breaking 117.9 million visits, and a record more than $1.7 billion in state and local revenue.
It’s the fourth year in a row Wisconsin tourism broke records for visitors and revenue.
The $27 billion economic impact equates to about $74 million a day, surpassing the previous record of $25.8 billion set in 2024, which itself was a record year.
Novel Bay Booksellers is one of more than a dozen businesses featured in the holiday film “A Cherry Pie Christmas.” The film’s popularity is drawing visitors to the Door County businesses. (WLUK)
In 2025, Wisconsin saw 117.9 million visits—a 3.5 million increase from the previous year and eclipsing the former record of 114.4 million. The state’s tourism industry also generated a record amount of state and local revenue, generating more than $1.7 billion that goes back to local communities and essential state services. Further, according to the report, the state’s tourism industry also supported more than 183,000 part-time and full-time jobs across diverse sectors of the industry.
“Wisconsin’s tourism industry isn’t just growing, it’s booming. And the proof’s in the pudding, with four consecutive record-breaking years, including generating a record $27 billion last year alone,” said Gov. Evers. “These numbers are a big deal for our state, our economy, and the countless hardworking folks in the industry who make it all happen—the folks who work each day to promote our state as the premier place to visit and explore, as well as the tour guides, waiters, restaurateurs, hoteliers, and the friendly faces in communities all across our state that keep folks coming back for one more adventure in Wisconsin year after year. My administration and I have been proud to champion this work with smart, strategic investments over the years, and we will keep uplifting this essential industry and the dedicated folks that drive it to ensure travel and tourism in Wisconsin continues to grow and thrive for future generations.”
Brown County tourism
Specifically in Brown County, where the 2025 NFL Draft was held, the tourism industry reached new heights, generating a record-breaking $1.5 billion in total economic impact.
According to newly released data, visitors made 6.7 million trips to Brown County in 2025 and spent $909.6 million at local hotels, restaurants, attractions, retailers, and other businesses. The visitor economy supported 11,519 jobs and generated $114.2 million in state and local tax revenue.
The results represent a 6.9% increase in total economic impact and a 7.4% increase in direct visitor spending over 2024.
Brown County visitor spending increased in every quarter of 2025, with the second quarter experiencing the largest jump. Tourism Economics found that direct visitor spending during the second quarter increased by $27.8 million over 2024, accounting for approximately 45% of Brown County’s overall visitor spending growth for the year.
While the NFL Draft provided a major boost, the report also points to strong underlying tourism fundamentals. Hotel revenue increased 9.7% year-over-year, restaurant and recreation-related sales grew nearly 7%, and both day-trip and overnight visitation continued to climb.
Among the report’s key findings:
- $1.5 billion total economic impact generated by visitors
- $909.6 million in direct visitor spending
- 6.7 million visits to Brown County
- 11,519 jobs supported by the visitor economy
- $55.2 million in local tax revenue generated
- $59 million in state tax revenue generated
Tourism’s benefits extend well beyond visitor-facing businesses. The report estimates that visitor-generated state and local taxes offset the tax burden on Brown County residents by approximately $1,030 per household.
State investments
Thanks to state investments, Travel Wisconsin has continued to expand its reach, and in 2025, the department expanded its advertising campaign to Peoria, Illinois, for a total of 14 Midwestern markets. Travel Wisconsin’s ad campaigns also resulted in big returns—for every $1 spent on advertising in summer 2025, consumers spent $148. Additionally, TravelWisconsin.com saw a staggering 11.9 million users, setting a new website traffic record and surpassing the previous year’s record.
“Wisconsin tourism is booming because it is the ideal destination for making memories. Travelers who choose to visit one more attraction, dine at one more restaurant, and stay one more night generate many more dollars for Wisconsin tourism,” said Secretary Anne Sayers. “Tourism’s impact is wide-reaching and significant. The industry powers local economies throughout the state. Visitors sustain jobs and create livelihoods. Wisconsinites save money because of the tax dollars tourism brings in. Tourism is essential for Wisconsin and all its communities.”
100 Vietnam veterans return to EAA AirVenture from a Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., July 25, 2025. (WLUK/Mike Moon)
Highlights of Wisconsin’s travel and tourism successes in 2025 include:
- Marquee events like EAA AirVenture hit record attendance;
- Green Bay hosted the 2025 NFL Draft, amassing around 600,000 ticketed attendees and generating an estimated economic impact of nearly $105 million for the state, far exceeding expectations;
- The Beloit Sky Carp set a single-season attendance record with 112,808 fans visiting ABC Supply Stadium;
- The Northern Wisconsin State Fair in Chippewa Falls drew in a crowd of approximately 100,000 and saw its highest single-day attendance in 17 years; and
- Door County welcomed more visitors in November and December, inspired by the Wisconsin-set and filmed holiday movie “A Cherry Pie Christmas.”
The Native Nations of Wisconsin also play a critical role in enriching the state’s tourism industry offerings and attracting travelers to the state. Because Tribal tourism data is private, the total economic impact of Tribal tourism is not wholly reflected in the annual economic report.
GREEN BAY (WLUK) — It was a bittersweet sign off on Good Day Wisconsin Tuesday.
It was morning anchor and field reporter, Savannah Wood’s last day at FOX 11.
The Good Day Wisconsin crew says goodbye to Savannah Wood on her last day at FOX 11, July 7, 2026. (WLUK)
She thanked the station and the Northeast Wisconsin community for embracing her over the past two years.
You’ve all watched many of my early morning field trips across Northeast Wisconsin over the last couple of years, many, too many to count, and I’ve had the privilege of getting to experience so much of what makes this community truly what it is and meet amazing people along the way,” Savannah said.
Savannah will be staying in news but going back to her home state of Pennsylvania to be closer to family.
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Goodbye and good luck Savannah!
GREEN BAY (WLUK) — Delays and disruptions will be coming to your daily commute.
A project involving I-41 flyover ramps in Brown County starts Tuesday, where a total of six flyover ramps will see closures.
The good news is, they won’t all be closed at the same time.
Delays and disruptions will be coming to your daily commute. A project involving I-41 flyover ramps in Brown County starts Tuesday, where a total of six flyover ramps will see closures. July 6, 2026 (WLUK/Tony Langfellow).
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said this project is necessary to help preserve the roads.
It’s been more than 10 years since the I-41 corridor was completed.
Now with the creation of some new technology, six I-41 flyover ramps in Brown County and one in Winnebago County are getting an upgrade.
This includes the I-41/I-43 interchange and the I-41/WIS 29 interchange.
“The project will be milling off the existing deck overlay and then be doing any necessary deck repairs. And then we’ll be putting on this new overlay, which is a more robust weather resistant overlay that will protect the bridge decks here,” Wisconsin DOT Project Manager Josh Lang said.
The new overlay is called “Polyester Polymer Concrete.”
But what exactly is that? When you’re driving on the ramps, you may notice patchy black and white spots on the road — that’s what the DOT is fixing, with a new specialized type of concrete.
Lang said the new overlay is key for high traffic areas.
“The main purpose of this material is to protect the bridge decks. That’s what our structures see the most wear and tear, but it does have those added benefits. The traction benefits the durability and such there,” Lang said.
The $6.87 million project is being funded through a mixture of state and federal funding.
Lang said the project is happening now because this new overlay technology didn’t exist until after the original highway project was complete.
There are no other issues with the flyover ramps, according to Lang.
Most of the closures will be quick, but will cause delays and detours.
Lang called this project an important step in preserving the roads for years to come.
“It’s really exciting. It’s really a great application of this material and I’m excited to see how this performs to keep our infrastructure, everything that was built with this 41 expansion in great shape,” Lang said.
The first ramp closure starts Tuesday with I-41 south to 29 west.
Lang said that work will last about a week.
The DOT expects all of the Brown County improvements to be done by September.
The Winnebago County project will begin in 2027.
I-41/I-43 interchange, Brown County:
- Northbound I-41 to southbound I-43 southbound (over Velp Avenue)
- Northbound I-43 to southbound I-41 (over I-41)
- Northbound I-43 to northbound I-41
I-41/WIS 32/WIS 29 interchange, Brown County:
- Southbound I-41 to westbound WIS 29 (over WIS 29)
- Eastbound WIS 29 to northbound I-41 (over I-41/WIS 29)
- Northbound I-41 to westbound WIS 29 (over I-41)
Winnebago County:
- Northbound I-41 to northbound US 45 (over I-41)
Share questions about immigration, ICE in Wisconsin
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a team of reporters dedicated to helping readers understand and contextualize what’s going on with immigration.
MADISON – The Wisconsin Supreme Court is putting on hold a case challenging the legality of ICE detainers in Wisconsin until federal judges determine whether they will reconsider where the case should be tried.
In its July 6 order, the state Supreme Court also held off on deciding whether to allow the U.S. government to join the case, which seeks to block county jails from holding immigrant detainees at federal authorities’ request.
The case continues to sit in jurisdictional uncertainty. It’s currently under the state Supreme Court’s purview, but the county sheriffs being sued have asked a federal appeals court to take it.
The court’s order seeks to “avoid potential uncertainty and conflict” as the federal appeal plays out.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin filed the lawsuit in September 2025, on behalf of the immigrant advocacy group Voces de la Frontera, against five Wisconsin sheriffs who have partnered with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house immigrant detainees, an action known as a detainer.
The state’s highest court agreed to take the case in December 2025, but the five sheriffs named in the lawsuit – Dave Gerber of Walworth County, Todd Delain of Brown County, Chad Billeb of Marathon County, David Zoerner of Kenosha County and Chip Meister of Sauk County – sought to have the case moved to federal court.
U.S. District Judge William Conley on May 15 issued an order remanding the case back to the state Supreme Court, and the sheriffs filed an appeal of Conley’s ruling with the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on May 26.
Last month, Voces de la Frontera asked the state Supreme Court to set a briefing schedule to run simultaneously with the federal appeal, while the sheriffs asked the state’s high court to grant a stay pending the resolution of their appeal.
And last week, the federal government filed a motion to intervene in the case at the state level.
The state Supreme Court’s July 6 order denies Voces de la Frontera’s request to allow the case to proceed at the same time as the federal appeal and does not address the U.S. government’s motion to intervene.
The case now awaits action from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
When a sheriff honors a detainer from ICE, they agree to hold a person for 48 hours after they would have been released under state law to give ICE time to pick up and take custody of the person.
The ACLU is asking the state Supreme Court to declare that civil immigration violations are outside the authority of a law enforcement officer in Wisconsin, and to prohibit the sheriffs from holding people on ICE detainers.
The sheriffs said in their response to the lawsuit last year that their offices have worked with ICE for decades and some have been trained by ICE to serve administrative warrants on their behalf.
Attorney Sam Hall, who represents the sheriffs, has argued throughout the case that the issue should be resolved at the federal judicial level. ACLU of Wisconsin attorney Tim Muth has accused the sheriffs of using “repeated delay tactics.”
Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.
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