Sheboygan Council to Consider 99-Year Butzen Soccer Complex Lease September 21
Sheboygan, WI — September 21, 2026.
The Sheboygan Common Council is scheduled to consider a proposed long-term ground lease Monday, September 21, for city-owned property that could become the site of an expanded soccer and multi-sport complex.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. The proposal concerns approximately 52.84 acres at 3936 South Business Drive, identified in the city’s official packet as the Butzen Farm property. The lease remains under consideration and should not be treated as final approval.
A proposed 99-year lease
Under the proposed agreement, the Sheboygan Area Youth Soccer Organization, doing business as Lakeshore United, would lease the property for 99 years. The proposed rent is $1 per year, with an execution version of the agreement listing October 1, 2026, as the effective date if the lease is finalized.
The $1 annual rent is paired with extensive responsibilities for Lakeshore United. The proposed lease places operating expenses, utilities, insurance, maintenance, repairs, construction costs and other project-related obligations on the organization.
The agreement also calls for city review of important project details. Future documentation would include construction schedules, project budgets, final plans, traffic analysis, parking plans and financing or performance guarantees. City approvals would be required as the project moves through planning, permitting and construction.
Phased recreation plans
The project is described as a phased development. Initial work would include outdoor athletic fields and parking, followed by additional fields and facilities. A future phase could include an indoor multi-sport facility.
Those improvements are proposed plans, not completed facilities. Any future construction would depend on approvals, financing, schedules and the responsibilities outlined in the final agreement.
Separate tax-increment items also on the agenda
The same Common Council meeting includes separate business involving Tax Increment District 21, the city’s Downtown district, and proposed Tax Increment District 27, identified by the city as Northland Plastics. Those tax-increment matters are separate from the proposed Butzen Farm ground lease.
For residents, the council’s discussion could mark an important next step for long-term recreation use of city property on South Business Drive. Readers should watch for the council’s decision, any amendments to the lease and later approvals involving traffic, parking, construction and project financing.
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