Brewers Org / American Family Field / MLB Stadium Discussion

[Thunder Muscle]

I’m on that Ballpark Chasers page and the biggest knock on AmFam is constantly there is nothing around the stadium. Minimal to virtually no hotels, no bars/restaurants within walking distance, etc. Most people don’t want to shuttle from Bluemound or Downtown. I certainly get that. If you aren’t tailgating, which is not always in the cards, there is not a ton. It would be cool to have a beer district to hang with. You could either use the lot north of I-94 and bridge to Bluemound or utilize that giant general parking area east of the stadium. I think I saw something that AmFam has more parking spaces than Magic Kingdom and Epcot combined, haha.

I’m as big of an open air guy as you can get BUT the roof is 100% necessary. March/April to May, sometimes even June can be chilly. We have had snowstorms in April. This time of year can be cold. Most of all as someone coming 90+ minutes away, its fantastic knowing I’m always going to see a game.

I go back and forth on location. I would love something along the lake near downtown. I also do like the space and lots for tailgating too, which likely could be a concession. I know there was always some fear that non-Milwaukee area fans don’t want to come downtown either. I don’t know how accurate overall that is, but over the years have heard that from some. That probably goes into a whole other socio argument though. But its mute as there is 0% a new stadium is being built here.

I am curious what the 365 days a year plan is. Lambeau did a fantastic job with their atrium and making it a year round venue. AmFam has the ability to add major events with a roof. So there is potential there. And really they could do a big atrium, hall of fame, etc by extending out from home plate entrance and/or either base side. Citi Field has that whole rotunda entrance which they could do upfront. We shall see what they have planned.

[Ryan5UW]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around having to spend almost as much as a new stadium just to renovate AmFam. How long do they expect that money to keep the stadium viable? I can't imagine it would be longer than a new stadium would be. Was there just a complete mismanagement of the facility to get to this point? I don't know, maybe I'm just way off base.

[paulpressey25]

We **** up somewhere.

When Miller Park was being debated, Mayor Norquist and most city leaders wanted the stadium to be built downtown, where MSOE soccer stadium now is (and just east of the Park East). They didn't want it on the lake, due to the cold breezes and the fact the Cleveland park was called 'mistake on the lake'.

It was to be a true old time ballpark, in the model of Fenway or the then new Camden Yards. It would have been fantastic. And we still had that I-43/Park east freeway spur, to funnel people right into the stadium, before it was later torn down in 2002.

What happened you say? Bud Selig.

Bud Selig was the poorest 'millionaire' in the MLB. Bud lived off the income from the team, and back then every penny was critical for him. The TV contracts had gotten big, but things like gate revenue and parking revenue were meaningful for his budget. If the stadium was built downtown, he would lose all the parking revenue.

Additionally, he knew the Brewers attendance depended on people from Chicago driving up, and rural Wisconsinites driving down. He knew those demographics wouldn't want to deal with parking hassles and 'crime'. By having the stadium out on a main interstate artery, all that could be avoided.

Bud got his way, and here we are.

[MickeyDavis]

There are definitely a lot of options but the Brewers are never innovative. They think having the inside restaurant (now called Leinie's) open year round is good enough. Of course they charge ball park prices even on non game days ($17 for a burger, $26 for a fish fry). Who goes there on off days? Very few.

Selig may be gone but the old school mentality stays. Schlesinger is trying to kick the can down the road:

"I think I've heard a lot of people talk about these great development plans for the parking lots, and they are all very interesting," said Rick Schlesinger, Brewers president of business operations.

"I’m very protective of our tailgating culture. We have some of the largest parking lots of any Major League stadium, and that’s important for fans," he said. "I want to make it easier for fans to come here and tailgate and park. I don't want to make it tougher. I'm very sensitive to real estate development that would encroach upon our culture of tailgating. Having said that, are there opportunities in the future to look at that? For sure."

Opportunities in the future. B.S.

The Brewers are trying to spin it as "any development means the end of tailgating". Not true at all. As was said earlier in this thread you could have a parking structure for the many who don't tailgate. And most games the lots aren't full anyway.

I go to several games a year. Sometimes I tailgate, sometimes I don't. I enjoy tailgating, I would never want it to end. But I also see value in having some fun options near the stadium. The team doesn't own the parking lots. If they want millions they need to "play ball".

At some point the franchise has to move beyond the 1982 team into the present. I would love a new owner.

I’m on that Ballpark Chasers page and the biggest knock on AmFam is constantly there is nothing around the stadium. Minimal to virtually no hotels, no bars/restaurants within walking distance, etc. Most people don’t want to shuttle from Bluemound or Downtown. I certainly get that. If you aren’t tailgating, which is not always in the cards, there is not a ton. It would be cool to have a beer district to hang with. You could either use the lot north of I-94 and bridge to Bluemound or utilize that giant general parking area east of the stadium. I think I saw something that AmFam has more parking spaces than Magic Kingdom and Epcot combined, haha.

I’m as big of an open air guy as you can get BUT the roof is 100% necessary. March/April to May, sometimes even June can be chilly. We have had snowstorms in April. This time of year can be cold. Most of all as someone coming 90+ minutes away, its fantastic knowing I’m always going to see a game.

I go back and forth on location. I would love something along the lake near downtown. I also do like the space and lots for tailgating too, which likely could be a concession. I know there was always some fear that non-Milwaukee area fans don’t want to come downtown either. I don’t know how accurate overall that is, but over the years have heard that from some. That probably goes into a whole other socio argument though. But its mute as there is 0% a new stadium is being built here.

I am curious what the 365 days a year plan is. Lambeau did a fantastic job with their atrium and making it a year round venue. AmFam has the ability to add major events with a roof. So there is potential there. And really they could do a big atrium, hall of fame, etc by extending out from home plate entrance and/or either base side. Citi Field has that whole rotunda entrance which they could do upfront. We shall see what they have planned.

[MVP2110]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around having to spend almost as much as a new stadium just to renovate AmFam. How long do they expect that money to keep the stadium viable? I can't imagine it would be longer than a new stadium would be. Was there just a complete mismanagement of the facility to get to this point? I don't know, maybe I'm just way off base.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the proposal is for about half of what a new stadium costs.

[MickeyDavis]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around having to spend almost as much as a new stadium just to renovate AmFam. How long do they expect that money to keep the stadium viable? I can't imagine it would be longer than a new stadium would be. Was there just a complete mismanagement of the facility to get to this point? I don't know, maybe I'm just way off base.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the proposal is for about half of what a new stadium costs.

Yup, the $600 million number from Tampa is what the public part is, with the team paying about $700 million. Total about $1.3 billion. I've also heard talk about how can renovating AmFam be more than the cost of the stadium when it was built (about $400 million). Obviously that was 20+ years ago. Not apples to apples.

[paulpressey25]

The team doesn't own the parking lots.

There is a lot of confusion and bs on this stuff. If I didn't think MLB ran a rigged game against small markets, I'd do a Save Our Brewers.

The Brewers own 30% of that stadium. That was in the deal. That's why I don't buy the line that "taxpayers own the facility and are 100% responsible for all maintenance costs'

On the parking lots, the Brewers get 100% of that revenue. And 100% of the revenue from everything else. They only pay a tiny annual lease fee. This 2014 piece gives some good details.

https://www.milwaukeemag.com/insidethemillerparktax/

[Ryan5UW]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around having to spend almost as much as a new stadium just to renovate AmFam. How long do they expect that money to keep the stadium viable? I can't imagine it would be longer than a new stadium would be. Was there just a complete mismanagement of the facility to get to this point? I don't know, maybe I'm just way off base.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the proposal is for about half of what a new stadium costs.

Yup, the $600 million number from Tampa is what the public part is, with the team paying about $700 million. Total about $1.3 billion. I've also heard talk about how can renovating AmFam be more than the cost of the stadium when it was built (about $400 million). Obviously that was 20+ years ago. Not apples to apples.

Fair enough. I looked at the few most recently built stadiums and saw numbers in the $620-$650 million range, but forgot about the one in Texas that was over $1B, and that's the one with a roof. The others are also 5-10 years old, so not the best comparison. That's what I get for trying to do work while looking up important things. Sorry guys!

[MickeyDavis]

The team doesn't own the parking lots.

There is a lot of confusion and bs on this stuff. If I didn't think MLB ran a rigged game against small markets, I'd do a Save Our Brewers.

The Brewers own 30% of that stadium. That was in the deal. That's why I don't buy the line that "taxpayers own the facility and are 100% responsible for all maintenance costs'

On the parking lots, the Brewers get 100% of that revenue. And 100% of the revenue from everything else. They only pay a tiny annual lease fee. This 2014 piece gives some good details.

https://www.milwaukeemag.com/insidethemillerparktax/

Agreed. The Brewers get 100% of parking revenue and act like they have complete control if any development happens. They don't.

Good article.

At the end of the day I'm just glad we have a roof. That's huge. There were some that didn't want to have a roof in order to save money when it was built.

[MVP2110]

Ryan on MKE Tailgate made what I thought was an excellent point today regarding the lack of an entertainment district in the proposal. It's almost certainly not the Brewers who are against it as they would stand to make boatloads of cash like the owners of the Bucks, Braves, Cardinals, etc. all do in similar situations. But that it would be a terrible look politically in what would essentially amount to the Brewers taking tons of money away from the bars that shuttle to the stadium and instead pocketing it for themselves.

[Thunder Muscle]

^ I mean I get that, but is it really taking away THAT much money? I truly don't know, but feel like a small percentage of game goers are actually shuttling; and the ones that are would still use the service. I could be wrong though

[MVP2110]

^ I mean I get that, but is it really taking away THAT much money? I truly don't know, but feel like a small percentage of game goers are actually shuttling; and the ones that are would still use the service. I could be wrong though

Those bars are typically packed on Brewer GameDays from the times I've used the shuttle. I can't speak for every bar or every game as I typically go on weekends

[MickeyDavis]

There are 2 types who go to Bluemound before/after games.

1. Fans go there to eat/drink and enjoy having a free shuttle so they don't have to pay parking. This is most of them.

2. Fans go there and eat/drink very little or nothing, they just want the free shuttle. This is a few of them.

The first group isn't going to want to now start paying ~$20 for parking to go to the Beer District. And fans in group 2, who don't spend money on Bluemound, aren't going to start spending money in the Deer District.

It's possible that some in group 1 would move to group 2 and just use the free shuttle to get to the Beer District.

Personally I never do the Bluemound thing. Finding parking and taking shuttles isn't worth it for me. I would definitely go hang out in the Beer District before and sometimes after games when I'm not tailgating.

Bars near FiServ haven't suffered with the Deer District competition. Not apples to apples though since they are within walking distance.

[ReasonablySober]

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[Thunder Muscle]

Anybody go to the playoff games? Seemed like overall pretty good crowds and they were loud when the team was giving them something to cheer about, especially early. On the radio it seemed like rhe place was ready to blow when had chances to tie/go ahead late last night. Glad it wasn’t a Tampa Bay situation of 50% empty. Prices were certainly cheap to get in compared to years back, but still.

[MickeyDavis]

Had friends go to both games. A good deal of empty seats in the uppers despite the Brewers giving most of them away. But definitely loud crowds, especially last night with the roof closed.

[MickeyDavis]

There's $25=$50 million in there to "winterize" the place for year round concerts, etc... Most stadium acts don't tour in the winter and most stadium acts skip Milwaukee anyway. And there isn't that many of them to begin with. Talk of the NHL Winter Classic. Other than one year at ND those have all been in NHL markets. Talk of NCAA Final Four. Won't happen. They're also talking about having company events and stuff like that. Seems silly to heat that big place for small time events.

[BUCKnation]

I'm surprised there haven't been more non-baseball events. Seems like its only once or twice a year they have a concert or a basketball game. I remember a soccer game in the past and even bowling, but it's few and far between.

[ReginaldDwight]

I'm surprised there haven't been more non-baseball events. Seems like its only once or twice a year they have a concert or a basketball game. I remember a soccer game in the past and even bowling, but it's few and far between.

Cause the venue sucks for anything other then baseball and even for baseball it kinda sucks.

[ReasonablySober]

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