The board for the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District, the governing entity that owns American Family Field, approved more than 30 improvement projects on Friday including the construction of additional office space for the Milwaukee Brewers and a new food court at the stadium.
The projects, varying from general maintenance to the $25 million winterization of the stadium, are part of the execution of the new lease for the Brewers at the stadium that was signed in December. The new agreement includes a $500 million public funding plan which would contribute to numerous updates and improvements to the stadium.
Both projects discussed at Friday’s meeting are included in the stadium’s $54 million 2025 project repertoire.
The office space and food court projects will be designed, funded and overseen by the Brewers. The projects include the construction of additional office space on the terrace level adjacent to right field, and a new food court on the loge level adjacent to left field, similar to the 3rd Street Market Hall venue at the stadium, according to Patrick Goss, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District.
The new office space will accommodate baseball operations and analytics, a sector of the sport that is growing and needs additional space in the stadium, Goss said.
Other significant improvement projects include the $25 million winterization of the stadium and a $10 million addition of a social gathering space on the Club Level. Both projects tout the largest price tags out of more than 350 improvement projects listed on the new lease. Neither have timelines yet.
Under the new lease, the state will contribute $365.8 million, the city of Milwaukee will contribute $67.5 million, and the team will contribute roughly $150 million in discretionary capital funding and rent towards stadium improvements over the course of the new lease, which ends in 2050.
The winterization of the stadium is the costliest and most involved project in the new lease thus far. The project will allow American Family Field to be used in the winter months to host large scale events like concerts. Improvements to the retractable roof, the addition of air handling units, improved electrical distribution and updated controls will be part of the effort to open the stadium in the winter months. Evanston, Illinois-based engineering firm Grumman Butkus Associates is advising on the project and says that the improvements will give the stadium the ability to maintain an interior temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit for winter events held inside when the outdoor temperature is 10 below, according to district documents.
Improvements for the new social gathering space will include improved fan interaction areas and improved season seat-holder amenities within the clubs, suites, event spaces and corresponding supporting spaces and equipment, according to district documents.
Other significant projects include a $2.5 million wayfinding (signage) update, a $1.2 million Club Level restroom renovation, a $1.1 million scoreboard control room infrastructure update, a $1.5 million video surveillance update, and a $1.4 million replacement of walk-in and reach-in coolers and freezers, according to district documents.
The state of Wisconsin and the Brewers contributed a combined $111 million at the time that the lease was signed, a new fee instated upon the signing of the lease to support new and ongoing projects.
A representative from the Brewers was not immediately available for comment on the upcoming projects.
