Governor of Wisconsin
Grand Opening Ceremony for Knowles Athletic Center Addition
University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Opening Remarks

GOVERNOR DOYLE: “To Carl Peterson and entire Chiefs family I want to express my deep thanks on behalf of the people of Wisconsin. This has been a great relationship between Wisconsin and the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I was playing golf just last summer and was proudly wearing my Chiefs shirt. People were saying, ‘you can’t wear a Chiefs shirt you’re the governor of the state of Wisconsin.’ I explained to them many times over, the Chiefs are our favorite AFC team and the Chiefs are definitely part of the Wisconsin family.

“Our relationship with this organization – and mine in my time as the governor of Wisconsin — has been nothing but solid. This is a classy organization; every time the Chiefs have said that they would do something in return for something it’s been delivered on. There’s never been any question about somebody giving their word about what they’re going to do and coming through with it. You can see that in an organization – particularly in sports; it shows itself out on the football field. When you watch the Kansas City Chiefs play football as the most efficient offensive team in the league – and they’ll be a good defensive team as well – it shows itself as a strong organization from top to bottom.

“You saw in the players that talked today that this is just a great organization and we’re honored to have you as part of Wisconsin.

“We’re proud of the River Falls campus and the River Falls community. In many ways the Chiefs being here has allowed us to show that off a little bit to the whole country so that people who maybe have never heard of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls at least get to see it because of the exposure that comes from having the Chiefs.

“The Chiefs are a major part of the impetus for this great project but the students are too – those who are on the campus today and those who will be here in years to come. When kids see this place they’ll say, ‘this is a pretty good place and I’d like to be here.’ So it helps us in so many different ways.

“This partnership between the Kansas City Chiefs and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls benefits the state and the team and for the Kansas City Chiefs, we’re hoping we’ll see a replay of that first Super Bowl.”

Q: What is the economic impact of training camp to the River Falls community? Is it one million to two million per year?

DOYLE: Yes. There are benefits, not only the benefits of people coming to town and the restaurants and the motels and the things that happen from having a training camp. But it just helps the region to have an organization as well known as the Kansas City Chiefs pick this campus as their training camp.

“We know the Kansas City Chiefs have other choices. We appreciate the fact they have picked River Falls and I’m glad we’ve been able to work in good partnership to get them the kind of facilities they need for a good training camp.

“It not only is just the direct dollar impact. It really helps this university and this community to have an organization as well known as the Kansas City Chiefs here for nearly a month every summer.”

Q: Was it difficult getting the funding approved in the legislature?

DOYLE: “Money was short and we were in a very difficult budget cycle. There were a number of people who didn’t think this was a wise investment. But to me, this is what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to be willing to make smart investments. This will pay for itself many times over. The Kansas City Chiefs benefit from this. But this is a major improvement on this campus as well. The students who attend River Falls and the students who are thinking about where they may attend, when they see this facility it’s going to help this school a lot.”

Q: Will the new facilities help recruiting?

DOYLE: “If you’re a Division III football player and you want to play in an NFL-quality facility, this is the place to come. There are probably not many others in the United States that compare.”

Q: Was it hard to get people to agree to the funding?

DOYLE: “It was reasonably hard just because we were in the kind of budget crisis we were in. But in the end I think people were convinced. We didn’t have a brutal fight at the end. There had to be a lot of convincing.

“In Wisconsin, it’s kind of hard to say you’re going to help a team other than the Green Bay Packers. But from my point of view, it helps to have the Kansas City Chiefs here because they scrimmage against the Minnesota Vikings and we hope this preseason they beat the Vikings up pretty bad.

“The question is this: is this a good investment? The University of Wisconsin-River Falls staff did a really good job of convincing the legislature and members of the building commission that this isn’t just about having a pro football team come. But this is really a good investment in the long run in the campus at River Falls.”

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TRENT GREEN

Grand Opening Ceremony of Knowles Athletic Center Addition
University of Wisconsin-River Falls

“As one of the team’s elder statesman, I have the opportunity to use all this new facility offers: the air conditioning, the training room, and the locker rooms. To Governor Doyle, to Chancellor (Don) Betz and Vice Chancellor (Mary) Halada, thank you for the commitment you’ve made not only to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls but also to the Chiefs. It’s a wonderful facility. I’ve heard nothing but compliments from the players — especially the veteran players who’ve been coming here for years.

“It’s always a great experience for us to come up to camp. The weather provides us with an opportunity to get a lot more done on the football field, but now with these facilities it provides us with an opportunity to get out bodies in better shape and get back out on the field for the next practice. With the air conditioning you’re able to recover more; with the training room we now have gone from two rehab tubs to seven. The training tables have gone from seven or eight to 15 or 20 tables. It gives us an opportunity as a football team to get ourselves better for the upcoming season. We thank you for that.

“We appreciate the financial commitment and also the time and manner you’ve done it. A year ago and none of this was here. Maybe the ball was rolling behind the scenes but we as players didn’t know it. It’s really tremendous.

“To all the people of River Falls it is enjoyable for us to come up here. From a football standpoint we’re able to get a lot more done because of the weather. But the community embraces us and makes everybody feel welcome whether we’re going out to dinner with teammates on that oft chance you get a free night or just passing on the street. Everybody’s been very welcoming and very warm to us.”