MENASHA (NBC 26) — Key facilities at the former UW Oshkosh Fox Cities campus will reopen for events under a one-year management deal, Winnebago County and Wisconsin Entertainment Group Venue Partners (WEG) announced in a news release Tuesday.
The venues will host theater, concerts, athletic events and expos, according to the news release. County Executive Gordon Hintz said reopening the facilities is a key step toward long-term plans for the campus.
At a press conference discussing the new partnership, Hintz praised the efforts of Wisconsin Entertainment Group for connecting with local organizations who have used the facilities in the past.
"They had really worked to establish ties with a lot of the groups existing in the area that use the theater historically that want to continue to use it as well as some great ideas for new programming and new opportunities to breathe life into this place," he said.
Local groups are already scheduled, according to the news release. The Fox Valley Concert Band will perform May 8, and Attic Theatre will stage Decision Height June 18-20 and June 24-27. Additionally, Fox Valley Performance Volleyball will use the fieldhouse.
The first touring act, AJ the Animated Illusionist, will perform May 4 at 7 p.m. Event updates will be posted on social media, as a website is in progress.
Wisconsin Entertainment Group Director Jason Lipsky called the campus “a community jewel” with venues that still provide top-tier experiences since opening in 2009.
"We're really excited to bring this back to the community. [It] really is something that can set us apart from other areas. It's a facility almost like no other. It's not very old, still very young in its life cycle so there's a lot of potential for things that we can do here," said Lipsky.
While plans for the facilities have an answer right now, the agreement is only for one year. The ultimate goal is to put the facilities on stable financial footing. The county says the best way to do that is to get people in the building.
"Showing that it can be the kind of facility that we think it can be and demonstrating that success, I think would allow us to build off of this year," said Hintz.
The campus closed in summer 2025. Proposals for its use — ranging from childcare services to expanding a local company’s footprint — were considered but ultimately did not move forward.
