Businesses getting behind $45 million renovation of La Crosse Center

Council committee to discus plans next week

Business and tourism leaders in La Crosse are lining up in support of improvements for the La Crosse Center.

The possible $45-million renovation project, including makeovers on the outside of the Center, will be discussed by a city council committee next week.  

Several business people told the Center board Thursday that the renovation plans are exciting and could help bring more visitors to the area.

Chris Roderique from Piggy’s restaurant says making the civic center more attractive will raise the stakes for others who do business downtown.

“Everybody’s going to have to rise up with the first-class facility that we’re proposing,” Roderique said.

Dave Ring from Kwik Trip told board members that he hears complaints about the condition of the 36-year-old arena.

“(It’s) long in the tooth,” Ring said. “It has a sterile environment. The flow isn’t good. It’s outdated.”

Ring says the community needs to invest money into improvements at the Center, in order to get more meetings and more visitors to the downtown area.