Brewers stadium repairs; Wisconsin Assembly OKs $545M in public dollars
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Assembly on Tuesday, Oct. 17 approved a plan to spend more than half-a-billion dollars to help cover repairs at the Milwaukee Brewers' stadium, American Family Field.
The vote was 69-27, which saw bipartisan support and bipartisan opposition. To see how each state representative voted, visit this link.
"Today’s vote by a bipartisan majority of the State Assembly shows that momentum continues to grow for a solution to maintain American Family Field and to keep the Brewers in Milwaukee for the next generation," wrote Rick Schlesinger, Brewers President of Business Operations. "We are very grateful for the leadership of legislative and local officials, as well as that of Governor Evers, who have helped to negotiate creative solutions that protect taxpayers and avoid the return of the five-county sales tax."
American Family Field, Milwaukee
An added sales tax in five southeastern Wisconsin counties helped build the park, which opened in 2001. The tax retired in 2020. Now, the state is a step closer to using more state money for repairs and improvements.
In total, the Assembly deal would have the state pay $411 million, tapping into the income tax Major League Baseball brings Wisconsin. The city of Milwaukee would pay $2.5 million a year, as would Milwaukee County. That money would come from the state slashing the administrative fee the state charges to administer local sales taxes. Every county with a sales tax would get more money back under this proposal. The Brewers would chip in $100 million and extend their lease through 2050.
American Family Field
A new poll finds opposition to using tax money for American Family Field. The group Milwaukee Works commissioned Public Policy Polling to poll Wisconsin voters.
The poll asked: "The current proposal calls for around $550 million of tax money to be spent on Brewers stadium improvements. Do you think this tax money should be spent on the stadium, or spent on other government priorities such as public safety, healthcare, and roads?" Seventy percent of respondents favored spending the money on other priorities.
"But that money’s not here to be invested in anything, if the Brewers leave," responded State Rep. Robert Brooks (R-Saukville), the bill's lead sponsor. "That’s the first premise, first of all, we own the stadium."
State Rep. Adam Neylon (R-Pewaukee) was one of the Republicans voting against the proposal. "It is irresponsible to give $546 million in taxpayer funds to a team that has increased more than $1 billion in value since the last time we used taxpayer funds to build them a stadium. Using taxpayer dollars to renovate the facilities for a baseball team worth $1.6 billion is a bad deal for taxpayers."
The current Brewers' lease, running through 2030, requires the governmental body that owns the majority of the stadium to pay for capitol improvements. FOX6 News took an exclusive tour to see what the Brewers said needed replacement. That includes infrastructure reaching its expected lifespan, like chillers, boilers, electrical circuit breakers, and refrigerators. There's also leaky roofs and cracking concrete.
A Brewers-commissioned study found the work would total $428m:
Architecture & Interiors: $105,722,699
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection: $55,787,457
Structure: $62,530,819
Technology: $99,763,649
Vertical Transportation: $15,988,615
Roofs: $36,999,058
Concessions Infrastructure: $17,027,982
Miscellaneous: $34,502,760
The current lease also requires the ballpark stay within the top 25% in the MLB. The governmental body that owns the majority of the ballpark, the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District, already approved spending $6.5 million for a new scoreboard for next season –what will become the fourth largest in Major League Baseball. Other estimates include updating suites and creating more social spaces.
The study says: "upper-level group spaces geared toward young adult fans will provide a unique space for socializing while the game becomes background entertainment, rather than their primary reason for being at the ballpark."
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred visited American Family Field in May and said the improvements are required under the current lease: "I’m confident that the government bodies will come up with a plan to fund, that’s just an existing obligation under the lease," he said. "It’s an investment in keeping Milwaukee a Major League city."
The non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates the state will bring in more money because of the Brewers than what public dollars are going into the stadium over the 27-year lease.
"I know there are some critics who are out there saying we should let the Brewers leave. It’s not worth it for our economy. They are just flat out wrong. The brewers are great for Wisconsin. This is a good deal for the tax payers," said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.
American Family Field, Milwaukee
The plan now goes to the Wisconsin Senate. Lawmakers of both parties said they expected that chamber to tweak the bill. That would then send the bill back to the Wisconsin Assembly for final passage before heading to the governor's desk.
Gov. Tony Evers told FOX6 News he supports the Assembly bill. "We’ve got to get it done. I’m ready to support it as is."
The Democratic governor originally pitched using $290 million of the state's $7 billion budget surplus for the work, in exchange for the team extending its lease through 2043.