Milwaukee Brewers Get Stamp of Approval on Stadium Deal, Killing Chances of Relocation
The Milwaukee Brewers aren't going anywhere.
The Wisconsin State Senate passed a bill Tuesday approving funding to renovate American Family Field after months of delineation. The state of Wisconsin will provide $386.5 million, while the city of Milwaukee will chip in $67.5 million, leaving the Brewers on the hook for $150 million.
"We now can all go to sleep tonight knowing the Brewers are going to be here for the next generation in a great, beautifully-maintained ballpark that is worthy of fan support," Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger told reporters Tuesday.
The final step to lock in the funding is governor Tony Evers signing off on the bill, something he already publicly announced he aims to do.
American Family Field initially opened as Miller Park in 2001, but it has not had any significant renovations since 2011.
In August, rumors started to surface about the Brewers potentially relocating to a new city due to a lack of stadium funding from the state and local governments. The Oakland Athletics' move to Las Vegas – which was finally approved by MLB owners Thursday – was already in motion, and even the Chicago White Sox were rumored to be interested in moving to Nashville.
Now, the Brewers are expected to extend their lease at American Family Field through 2050, which would be their 80th season in Milwaukee.
The team's lease previously ran out in 2030.
The Brewers join the Baltimore Orioles in receiving the green light to renovate their current ballparks in the coming years this fall. The Tampa Bay Rays and Kansas City Royals, meanwhile, recently unveiled plans to build new stadiums from scratch. The White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks stadiums' futures are the only ones currently up in the air.
Follow Fastball on FanNation on social media
Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by LIKING us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.
You can also subscribe to "The Payoff Pitch" podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
