Featured image credit: Michael Barera/CC BY-SA 4.0/Edited for size
The board of directors at the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District has approved a proposed new lease for the Milwaukee Brewers to continue playing at American Family Field until 2050.
The approval comes after Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers last year signed two bills to keep the Major League Baseball team in the state until 2050, with the stadium set to undergo major renovation work as a result.
The District’s vote still requires approval by the state Department of Administration and Major League Baseball.
The Brewers’ lease deal at American Family Field had been due to expire in 2030, and without an investment from the state, the District would not have the resources to meet existing contractual and legal obligations to maintain and update the stadium.
To avoid the threat of the Brewers leaving Milwaukee following the 2030 season, Evers announced an initial proposal as part of his 2023-25 biennial budget proposal.
Two bills passed in December 2023 will provide $500.8m (£399m/€482m) in public funding over the terms of the extended lease, including $365.8m in state funds and $67.5m in local contributions from both Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee.
Pat Goss, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District, said yesterday (Wednesday): “My sincere thanks to the Brewers, (our) board of directors and all involved in the negotiations this year.
“I also want to thank Governor Evers and the legislature for putting us in a position to negotiate this new lease based on the legislation passed and signed last December. This lease will usher in the next chapter of professional baseball in Wisconsin through 2050.”
The Brewers have previously claimed that as American Family Field’s sole tenant, the team represents the only reason for the facility’s existence. Located in the smallest market as defined by MLB, the Brewers have said they require a premier ballpark to drive ticket sales and continue to field competitive teams, adding that this makes maintenance of the stadium “all the more critical”.
In August, it emerged that Brewers fans were being asked to share their thoughts on the redevelopment of American Family Field, with a potential outdoor entertainment area one of the options under consideration.
The area would be known as Brewers Bash and would include bars and live entertainment. Other potential additions include indoor gathering spaces such as a family zone, a field-level lounge and a standing-room-only area known as the Brew HQ Social Patio.
Share this