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Builds on the past, offers a glimpse into the future
January 24, 2024
GREEN BAY — Vision became a reality for Vicki Fabry and her family earlier this month with the opening of the Legacy Hotel in Green Bay’s Stadium District.
The boutique-style hotel, located at 1004 Brett Favre Pass, is steps away from Badger State Brewery, which is owned by her son, Andrew Fabry.
Vicki Fabry, majority owner and founder of the boutique hotel, said when the Brett Favre steakhouse came up for sale, she and Andrew looked at each other and said, “‘what are we waiting for?'”
“We had (always) talked about (acquiring some land) and (about) how cool it would be to build a little boutique hotel to tie in with the brewery,” she said.
Though she said she has many other skills, Fabry admits “I’m not a builder, and I’m not a developer.”
“I found two incredible professionals to join me,” she said. “One was a builder who became a business partner, Richard Otradovec with Rodac, LLC, and he knew Dennis Doucette, who managed and built hotels. The three of us formed a partnership.”
Fabry said something she’s learned through this process is “you have to surround yourself with the right people.”
The architects put together the plan, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Fabry said they immediately realized it was not the time to proceed.
But when life started to get back to normal, she said the ball got rolling again.
The official building process took more than a year, while the entire project from inception to ribbon-cutting took more than three years.
Fabry said the Legacy Hotel was a dream of her family, who continued to share their thoughts on the project throughout the process.
“They continued to pose questions challenging themselves, like ‘what more can we do?'” she said. “‘How can we turn an already good thing into something that we don’t already have?’ The area used to be an old trucking neighborhood.”
Andrew said typically when breweries are in place, like Badger State is, neighboring businesses find success as well.
Andrew said, “Typically, when breweries are in place, the (neighboring businesses) build up around them.”
“I witnessed that happen,” Fabry said.
Between Lambeau Field, Titletown, apartments and townhouses, a baseball stadium and a climbing gym to name a few, Fabry said there is pretty solid evidence of that growth.
The hotel’s walkability to Lambeau Field, the Resch Expo, the Resch Center, Badger State Brewery, the Titletown District, including Ariens Hill, she said, enhances its strategic location.
“The Legacy Hotel is an upscale, fun boutique hotel that we intend to serve as a community social center and complement the Stadium District,” she said. “We want the community to come and take in the views from our rooftop at Cardinal’s Crest Bar & Grille or enjoy a memorable dinner at Heritage, our modern supper club. Legacy Hotel is a place where memories will be made.”
No stranger to business ownership
Though the Legacy Hotel is her first go as the owner of a hotel, Fabry said her family is no stranger to entrepreneurship — owning the neighboring Saranac Glove.
Fabry said her family purchased Saranac Glove — which was founded in 1937 by Vicki’s father-in-law Edward (Ed) Fabry — in 2000.
Andrew, she said, built Badger State Brewery roughly 10 years ago.
It was that knowledge of successful business ownership, Fabry said, that prompted the leap of faith with the Legacy Hotel.
Formalized analysis conducted by numerous market research groups, she said, also supported the decision to move forward as they were assured that, based on their location and market plans, the Legacy Hotel would achieve and exceed the expected occupancy rate based on the location.
“My family also worked very closely with me because they’re all in their 30s, and I said ‘I need that thought-process — I need (to know) what you guys are looking for,'” she said.
Travelers are looking for suites
As an all-suites hotel, Fabry said Legacy Hotel’s accommodations provide guests with extra room in its six-story hotel.
The three penthouses each measure 975 square feet, with a living and dining area, as well as an outdoor balcony overlooking Lambeau Field.
The penthouse suite includes two 50-inch Smart TVs, one in the living area and one in the bedroom, while the bathroom includes a walk-in rain shower.
Vicki Fabry, center, said opening Legacy Hotel was a dream come true for her family. Submitted Photo
Fifteen signature suites, Fabry said, measure 590 square feet, with the same amenities as the grand penthouses minus the outdoor balcony.
The 83 studio suites, she said, measure 410 square feet, complete with a living area, sofa and leisure chair — they also feature California king beds with a 50-inch Smart TV and a walk-in rain shower.
Though the Legacy Hotel is an independent property, Fabry said it is affiliated with Wyndham, which offers guests access to its worldwide reservation system.
What’s in a name
The brainstorming that went into determining the meaning behind the hotel’s name, Fabry said, was just as important as determining the name in the first place.
“My daughter-in-law said, ‘Why not legacy? It fits our family. It’s how we feel about families and honoring them while building our legacy,'” she said. “I lost my husband 10 years ago and our family will always feel very close and honor (him). In our own little way, maybe we have the ability to help people think about their legacy.”
Fabry said inspiration also came from the Stadium District neighborhood itself — which they see as having a legacy of its own.
Once the decision was made, Fabry said the next step was weaving the legacy theme throughout the development of the entire business.
Fabry said every square foot of the hotel, including the dining and gathering spaces, have been named with sentiment and purpose.
The Cardinal Crest Rooftop Bar & Grill, she said, is one such example.
“When you see a cardinal, someone who has passed is probably looking out for you or visiting you,” she said.
A cardinal, Fabry said, is also present in a mural-size custom painting titled, “All the Marbles,” in the lobby of the hotel — which was painted by Australian artist Pete Tillack.
Eat, drink and make memories
The Legacy Hotel has several restaurants and places to drink, each with what Fabry describes as its own vibe.
Cardinal’s Crest Rooftop Bar & Grille is on the hotel’s sixth floor and includes an outdoor patio with a view of Bart Starr Plaza and Lambeau Field.
The menu includes authentic Wisconsin fare and shareable items, including oysters on the half shell, beer-battered cheese curds and beef sliders.
Heritage Restaurant is Legacy Hotel’s signature restaurant, which Fabry said combines Wisconsin’s storied history and traditions — combining the best of the region’s favorites with modern approaches.
Heritage offers breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The dinner menu includes fine steaks, poultry, pork and seafood entrees, including a fourteen-ounce dry-aged New York strip steak, Great Lakes white fish, pork shank and maple leaf duck breast, along with seasonal sides, soups and salads.
“I am thrilled at this opportunity to do bigger, better, grander,” Executive Chef Aaron Morse, who served as head chef at Black & Tan for more than four years, said. “We want visitors and the people of Green Bay to find something special here. I will try things that are inspiring — working with my team to build a new culinary environment for locals and traveling guests.”
The Press Coffee & Juice Bar, Fabry said, provides a comfortable environment to start or end the day featuring a variety of coffees, juices and other health-conscious options.
Its custom-painted mural, she said, surrounds visitors with scenes of Green Bay.
At the Legacy’s unCommon Lobby Bar, Fabry said Mixologist Tony Oczus’ creations feature high-quality, local ingredients and innovative combinations.
“At Legacy, we seek to create something that will stand out in the community, unique from what anyone else is doing, which is a craft cocktail experience with local hospitality and charm,” Oczus said.
A large atrium on the ground floor, Fabry said, serves as the hotel’s centerpiece and will be used as an event space for larger groups, including weddings.
The hotel also offers a full-service spa open to guests and members of the community.
There is an in-house fitness studio along with services available for guests who bring their dogs, including dog walking and dog sitting.
Live jazz on Thursday evenings, cooking classes and special tastings, Fabry said, are also planned.
More than a Packer season hotel
Though the Legacy Hotel is nestled on prime real estate in the shadows of Lambeau Field, Fabry said it isn’t just a Packer season hotel.
“You don’t just depend on a ten-game Packer season to make it happen,” she said.
However, Fabry said she anticipates an impact on business during the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Legacy Hotel, she said, has contracted suites for the week and anticipates meeting rooms to be fully occupied by coaching staffs and personnel across the league.
Its close proximity to The Resch Center, Fabry said, serves well for the hotel to tie into events coming to the complex, including music events.
“We have a great sales and marketing department that will usher in corporate people who are looking for an upscale experience,” she said. “We’re not going to appeal to everyone, nor should we try to. We will develop our niche and then stick to it, but make it good.”
For more on the Legacy Hotel, visit legacygb.com or check out the hotel on Facebook.
