Evers pitches $290 million plan for American Family Field upgrades

By Arthur Thomas, staff writer

Gov. Tony Evers is proposing to use $290 million from the state’s surplus to fund improvements to American Family Field in Milwaukee, which opened in 2001 and cost $392 million to build.

The plan was included in Evers’ state budget proposal. The state would make a one-time cash

By The Numbers

payment of $290 million to the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District. The money, along with existing funds at the district, would be used by the district to meet its stadium maintenance obligations under its lease with the Brewers.

Those obligations include updates and maintenance to the stadium, such as repairs to the retractable roof system, new boilers and fixes to expansion joints. The work is less of a single, major construction project and more the ongoing repair and replacement of aging systems and updates to meet current building standards. A study done by Venue Solutions Group for the Brewers points to around $428 million in projects to be done over the course of the lease to keep American Family Field up to date with Major League Baseball standards.

Because Evers’ proposal is for a cash payment, the state would save by not having to turn to bonding or borrowing. Additionally, the stadium district will be able to invest the funds it does not immediately need, providing a return to help fund projects in future years.

In exchange for the state support, the Brewers would sign a non-relocation agreement and commit to another 20 years at American Family Field, keeping the team in Milwaukee through the end of 2043. The current lease would allow the team to leave as soon as 2030.

In announcing the plan, Evers noted it would use “just a small portion of our state’s historic surplus.” Wisconsin has a roughly $7 billion budget surplus. The governor also said the team’s presence will generate around $400 million in tax revenue through 2043.

The proposal, however, will face an uncertain path forward as part of Evers’ budget proposal and with Republicans in control of the Legislature. In the most recent budget cycle, Republicans essentially passed their own budget for Evers to sign, dropping many of his proposals.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos expressed frustration with Evers, saying there was not any attempt at collaboration before the stadium proposal was unveiled. But Vos did say both sides of the aisle would continue to work on keeping the Brewers in Milwaukee.

“When the Bucks had a similar situation, Democrats and Republicans worked together to find a solution on the best path forward,” said Vos. “I look forward to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that the Brewers stay in (Wisconsin).”

Rich Schlesinger, president of business operations for the Brewers, said the team is committed to working with policymakers on both sides of the aisle to keep the stadium up to date and the team in Milwaukee. He noted the stadium district is the primary owner of American Family Field and is responsible for major capital repairs and improvements.

The proposal from Evers does not include any contributions from local governments to help finance the improvements. n