The History of Downtown Green Bay, Incorporated

In 1997, the City of Green Bay received a petition from property owners in downtown Green Bay, who own property within the proposed Business Improvement District.

Step 1: The Common Council of the City of Green bay created the BID.

Step 2: An operating Board composed primarily of property owners within the district was established. This Board has all powers necessary or convenient to implement the operating plan.

Step 3: The Board negotiated and executed a contract for services with Downtown Green Bay Inc. to carry out this operating plan. This contract remains in effect.

Step 4: The City collects BID assessments from District property owners following the approved assessment formula.

Development of the District through creation of the BID was originally proposed because:

1. The BID law provides a mechanism whereby private property owners can work together in conjunction with the City to develop the district.
2. Existing public funding sources used to help maintain and promote the district may not be sufficient. Continuing unified development efforts will have to be financed with new private resources as well as existing public dollars.
3. The district is dynamic, including properties of varying types and sizes. Some form of cost sharing is necessary because it is not feasible for a small group alone to support district development efforts. The BID plan provides a fair and equitable mechanism for cost sharing which will benefit all businesses and properties within the district.
4. Use of the BID mechanism will help ensure that the entire district will be promoted and developed as expeditiously as possible.

The property owners petitioning for the establishment of the BID viewed it as a method to build on the work previously done in the community to improve the downtown, including the three Downtown Summits, and the City of Green Bay Downtown Land Use / Urban Design Plan. These property owners and the board of directors of Downtown Green Bay, Inc. have also pledged to work cooperatively (not competitively) with other organizations interested in downtown, including On Broadway, Olde Main Street, Inc., the Mayor's Neighborhood Resource Board and others, many of whom are represented on the DGBI board.