Lake Geneva to negotiate land sale with Simple Food Group
Members of the Lake Geneva City Council have approved negotiating the sale of four parcels of city-owned property on Sheridan Springs Road to the Simple Food Group.
Lake Geneva officials have taken a step forward in selling city-owned property to a local food group company.
On Jan. 12, the Lake Geneva City Council approved entering into negotiations with with representatives from Simple Food Group by a 7-1 vote, with Alderwoman Mary Jo Fesenmaier voting "no."
Alders discussed the issue in closed session.
The Simple Food Group, which includes former Lake Geneva Mayor Tom Hartz, Lori Hartz and Young Cho, want to purchase four parcels of city-owned land on Sheridan Springs Road, totaling 11.4 acres, to establish a multi-use development.
The development would feature a cafe, bakery production facility, food market, retail bakery, test kitchen, business training facility and event space. The property is near the Geneva Square shopping center and Hillmoor property.
Simple Food Group also plans to develop a path that would connect the proposed development to the Hillmoor property and a parking lot that could be used by anyone visiting the development or Hillmoor.
Fesenmaier said she opposed entering negotiations because one of the parcels could be used as a parking area during the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Highway 50/Main Street road reconstruction project, which is scheduled to be conducted in 2027 and 2028.
"Lot 1 is already the parking lot that we need for the Highway 50 construction," Fesenmaier said. "It should not be a part of this sale."
Residents and business owners show support
Several residents and business owners expressed support for the land sale during a public comment portion of the Jan. 12 meeting.
Constance Kosowski of Lake Geneva said the mixed-use development would offer several amenities that would benefit residents and provide additional property tax revenue to the city.
"It's a great opportunity for families to come there, spend a little time, get some goodies at the food market if they didn't have breakfast or lunch and then, at night, have a special event space," Kosowski said. "You know how much revenue this place is going to give us for our taxes? I'm excited about that."
Nick Vorpagel, vice president of business development for Lake Geneva Country Meats, said the development would provide educational and employment opportunities for the community.
He said city officials also would be able to sell property that currently is not being used.
"The city looking for a better deal than this is like asking lightning to not only strike twice but to win the Powerball twice," Vorpagel said. "Turning this down is not acting in the best interest of the city or the citizens."
Mark Moeller-Gunderson of Lake Geneva said Simple Food Group officials already help support several local programs and organizations with their current business, Simple Cafe and Simple Bakery & Market, and he feels they will be able to do more work for the community with the proposed development.
"I really consider them to be a part of the glue that holds the community together," Moeller-Gunderson said.
Cho said that during the past 16 years his company has taught culinary arts programs at local high schools and colleges, partnered with local farmers and helped support local organizations. He said they would continue that work with the mixed-use development.
"Sheridan Springs isn't a departure from this work," Cho said. "It's an expansion of what we've proven we can do, more partnerships with local farmers, more jobs with dignity and opportunities, more students trained and more communities strengthened."
Opposing view
Former Alderman William Huntress said city officials should not negotiate the land sale and that the site should not have been designated as surplus property, which is defined as an "asset that is no longer needed by the owner and maybe sold or transferred to anther entity."
On Sept. 22, 2025, alders approved the designation.
"There is not one person who should vote for this, because it's all wrong," Huntress said. "There's nothing about this project that's right."
Simple Food Group first presented plans to purchase the Sheridan Springs Road property during the Aug. 11, 2025, City Council meeting.
