Wisconsin Republicans Propose $36M Reduction in State Funds, Implement Ticket Surcharge for Milwaukee Brewers Stadium Repairs
Proposed GOP Plan Cuts State Funding for Brewers Stadium Repairs, Implements Surcharges on Non-Baseball Event Tickets, and Increases Brewers' Rent Payments by $10M Through 2050
- The Milwaukee Brewers' 22-year-old stadium, American Family Field, requires extensive repairs, including replacement of outfield glass doors, seats, luxury suites upgrades, works on the signature retractable roof, fire suppression systems, parking lots, elevators and escalators.
- The proposed amendments by Wisconsin republicans plan to reduce the original $411 million state contribution by $36 million and introduce surcharges on non-baseball event tickets for funding the repairs.
- It is projected that the surcharge would generate $14.1 million towards stadium improvements over the next 27 years. Suite users would face an $8 ticket surcharge for non-baseball events, while a $2 surcharge would apply to other non-baseball events such as concerts or monster truck shows.
- The Brewers had previously hinted they might leave Milwaukee if not granted public funds for repairs. However, Rick Schlesinger, the team's President of Business Operations, later refuted this, stating the team's intention to stay in the city "for the next generation".
- An amendment to the proposal also includes the Brewers paying an additional $10 million in rent between 2024 to 2050. The amendment also mandates a regular, biennial financial audit of the stadium district overseeing the public funding through till 2050.
Washington Post 
Associated Press 
