Evers Proposal Seeks To Keep Brewers In Milwaukee With State Surplus

MILWAUKEE, WI — Wisconsin Democrat Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday proposed spending part of the state's record budget surplus on American Family Field to keep the Milwaukee Brewers in their city for the next 20 years.

The plan, which comes as part of Evers' biennial budget proposal for 2023-2025, seeks to ensure that the Milwaukee Brewers and Major League Baseball stay in Milwaukee after the current lease with American Family Field expires (which is in 2030).

Evers said the one-time investment of $290 million would save taxpayers around $200 million over the Brewers' lease while also generating over $400 million in continued revenue over the next 20 years.

The investment would go to the baseball park district and would be used to maintain, repair and improve American Family Field (formerly known as Miller Park) so that the district continues to meet its lease obligations and responsibilities for the Brewers, a news release said. If the investment goes through it would include a committal to a 20-year lease, ensuring that the Brewers stay until at least 2043.

“I’ve been watching baseball in Milwaukee since the County Stadium days when I had the chance of a lifetime to watch Warren Spahn’s 300th-career game there way back when," said Evers in the release. "As governor, and also someone who also happens to be a lifelong Brewers fan, I’m so excited about the historic opportunity we have today to keep Major League Baseball here in Milwaukee for another twenty years and to usher in a new generation of Brewers fans in Wisconsin who can grow up rooting for the home team just like I did."

Ensuring that the Brewers stay in Milwaukee goes beyond keeping the team here. Evers said it would also ensure that the ballpark supports working families and the local economy.

The stadium opened its doors for the first time in 2001, and since then has generated $2.5 billion in economic output for Wisconsin, Evers said. Further, the stadium supported 3,000 jobs in 2022 alone.

“What’s more, the Brewers are not only a cherished part of our state’s heritage but an essential part of Milwaukee’s and our state’s economic success,” Evers continued in the release. “Using just a small portion of our state’s historic surplus, we can not only save over $200 million in taxpayer dollars in the long run, but keep good-paying, family-supporting jobs here and ensure the Brewers remain in Milwaukee and continue to play a critical role in our state’s economic success for another two decades.”

Evers said that without the investment, the ballpark district doesn't have the resources to meet obligations, risking losing the Brewers.