From ballroom to big stage: Wisconsin's NFL Draft roots run through Milwaukee
GREEN BAY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- As Green Bay gears up to welcome an estimated 250,000 fans for this year’s NFL Draft, you might be surprised to learn this isn’t Wisconsin’s first time in the draft spotlight.
Rewind the clock more than 85 years and you’ll find the 1940 NFL Draft happening not under bright lights or live television cameras, but in a smoke-filled ballroom in downtown Milwaukee.
Milwaukee briefly made its mark in NFL Draft history, long before it was a made-for-TV mega event. That year's draft was held inside the Empire Room of the Schroeder Hotel, known today as the Hilton Milwaukee.
“We are excited to be part of that legend, where the NFL greats gathered,” said Jeff Stewart, general manager of the Hilton Milwaukee.
While the hotel may have evolved over the decades, the decor and the setting still hold echoes of football greatness.
“There is no doubt [Curly] Lambeau would recognize it,” Stewart said. “Just the feel of this room leaves a lasting impression on all of our guests.”
A Different Kind of Draft Day
Today’s draft war rooms are outfitted with high-tech equipment, buzzing with analytics and live calls. But back in 1940, draft day looked more like a poker night—cigar smoke, whiskey, and legends like Curly Lambeau, Art Rooney, and George Halas seated at the table.
“They definitely smoked their cigars,” Stewart said. “And after the [picks] were made, they enjoyed some tenderloin.”
The draft took place one day before the 1939 NFL Championship Game. Lambeau moved both the title game and the draft to Milwaukee, believing the larger city, with easier train access, would draw more fans. He was right.
The Packers routed the New York Giants in front of a sold-out crowd at the “Dairy Bowl,” a stadium on the infield of the Milwaukee Mile racetrack.
A Brief but Bold History
Only 13 cities have ever hosted the NFL Draft, and Green Bay will soon add their name to the list. Here is the full list of cities and the draft years they hosted:
- Chicago: 1938, 1942–1943, 1951, 1962–1964, 2015–2016
- Cleveland: 2021
- Dallas: 2018
- Detroit: 2024
- Kansas City: 2023
- Las Vegas: 2022
- Los Angeles: 1956
- Milwaukee: 1940
- Nashville: 2019
- New York City: 1937, 1939, 1944–1947, 1952, 1955, 1965–2014
- Philadelphia: 1936, 1944, 1949–1961, 2017
- Pittsburgh: 1948–1949
- Washington, D.C.: 1941
In 1940, the Chicago Cardinals held the first pick. The Chicago Bears -- yes, they had company back then -- picked eighth.
Lambeau made the most of his draft, snagging Lou Brock in the third round. Brock went on to win a title with the Packers in 1944 and was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1982
Mel Kiper Jr. would have been proud.
From the Empire Room to the Big Stage
This week, Green Bay steps into the national spotlight, embracing its first-ever NFL Draft. But if you walk into the Empire Room at the Hilton Milwaukee, you’ll see where Wisconsin’s draft history really began.
“The NFL Draft of 1940 was certainly one of the most historic events in this room,” Stewart said.
And as fans look forward to this week’s picks, there’s hope that another future Hall of Famer will be called to Titletown. Because in Green Bay, making history isn’t just something fans celebrate. It’s something they expect.