Title: Wisconsin. Department of Administration: Milwaukee Brewers New Stadium Files
Inclusive Dates: 1994-1995

Creator:

• Wisconsin. Department of Administration

Call Number: Series 2748

Quantity: 0.4 cubic feet (1 archives box)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records of James Klauser, secretary of the department, concerning the State of Wisconsin's involvement with the approval and planning of a new baseball stadium (later named Miller Park) for the Milwaukee Brewers. The records include correspondence with citizens, legislators, and state agencies, and within the Department; memoranda of understanding between the team, the state, and the City of Milwaukee; press releases; financial information; and other documentation.

Note:

There is a restriction on access to this material; see the Administrative/Restriction Information portion of this finding aid for details.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-ser02748

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In 1987, the Greater Milwaukee Committee formed a task force to study the possibility of renovating the old County Stadium or constructing a new ballpark for its National League baseball team, the Milwaukee Brewers. In April 1988 the Brewers Task Force recommended the construction of a new stadium with a targeted opening day at the start of the 1992 season. In 1990 the then-president of the Brewers, Bud Selig, gave a qualified endorsement to the approved site in the Menomonee Valley, and a new target date was set for 1994.

The next few years of the park's history involved wrangling over the costs and sources of finance for the new park. Legislation authorizing state financial assistance was passed by the State Assembly, with concurrence by the Senate, on July 3, 1991, and in November, as part of the preparations for transition, the Brewers were given operating responsibilities for County Stadium. As environmental impact studies and related tests were conducted, the Brewers made a major announcement on February 26, 1994. Two decisions were publicly announced: first, the team proposed that a public/private partnership be formed to finance the new park, and second, the new park would be designed with a convertible roof. In response to the first point, Governor Tommy Thompson in March 1994 formed the Governor's Milwaukee Stadium Commission to evaluate and report on all possible financing options. Also in that month the State Senate voted to allow a statewide referendum on whether to establish new state lottery games to help finance the park. The Commission presented its findings in February 1995, containing six financing options; only two months later the people of Wisconsin rejected the call for a new lottery by a 2-1 margin. On August 19, 1995, the Brewers, Governor Thompson, Milwaukee County Executive Tom Ament, and Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist announced an agreement on a Memorandum of Understanding, which included a 30-year lease commitment and an upfront financial commitment of $90 million from the Brewers, and a one-tenth of one-percent sales tax and one-percent hotel-motel room tax increase for Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties to finance $160 million of the total $250 million stadium cost. Following public hearings, the addition of Racine County to the taxing district, and the elimination of the hotel-motel room tax, the State Assembly in September and the Senate in October voted to approve the public finance plan. Governor Thompson signed legislation for public financing into law at County Stadium on October 12, 1995.

On January 1, 1996, the new taxes went into effect in the five counties affected (the three mentioned above plus Washington and Ozaukee). Two months later, on March 21, the new stadium received a name - Miller Park - after a 20-year, $41.2 million deal between the Brewers and Miller Brewing Company. Financing hit a number of snags throughout mid-1996 which slowed the initial stages of preparation, including resistance from a number of citizens that, in one instance, went all the way to federal court before being denied. However, alliances between local business leaders, public officials, and the Brewers eventually prevailed, especially after June 29, 1996, when the team unveiled a new plan involving a number of low-interest loans from several foundations, the City of Milwaukee, and the local business community. Digging for the park on the site of old County Stadium's centerfield parking lot began on October 21, 1996.

Construction lasted through the next several years. The Brewers began their “last season” in County Stadium on April 16, 1999, but a major accident occurred on July 14, 1999 that slowed construction. A large crane collapsed while placing roof panels, and three workers were killed. The tragedy pushed back the opening date from April 2000 to April 2001. On March 30, 2001, an exhibition game was played in Miller Park between the Brewers and the Chicago White Sox, and the first official game was played on Opening Day, April 6, 2001.

The records contained here are all from 1995 (except for one 1994 piece of correspondence); thus, they are concerned with the Miller Park creation process during the period of major debate over public financing of the stadium. They were drawn from the subject files of the Department of Administration and reflect the involvement of the state government in planning and funding the new park. The file is a small but interesting example of the complex relationship in the United States between state and local governments on the one hand, and professional sports on the other.

Access Restrictions

Restricted: Closed to research use pending clarification of these records' legal status.

Series 2748 Box   1 Folder   1	Appointments to the Professional Baseball Park District Board, 1995
Box   1 Folder   2	Bear Stearns proposal to the Professional Baseball Stadium District, 1995
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   3	Department of Development, 1995
Box   1 Folder   4	General, 1994-1995
Box   1 Folder   5	Internal DOA communications, 1995
Box   1 Folder   6	Legislators, 1995
Box   1 Folder   7	Legislative Fiscal Bureau, 1995
Box   1 Folder   8	Letters of protest and support, 1995
Box   1 Folder   9	Open records requests, 1995
	Financial information
Box   1 Folder   10	General, 1995
Box   1 Folder   11	Milwaukee Brewers, 1995
Box   1 Folder   12	Governor's Milwaukee Stadium Commission report, 1995
Box   1 Folder   13	Lease (draft) of land to the Professional Baseball Park District, 1995
Box   1 Folder   14	Memoranda of understanding, 1995
Box   1 Folder   15	Miscellaneous documentation, 1995
Box   1 Folder   16	Milwaukee County Board documentation, 1995
Box   1 Folder   17	Press releases, 1995
Box   1 Folder   18	Taxes documentation, 1995
Box   1 Folder   19	Special Session Assembly Bill-1 documentation, 1995
Box   1 Folder   20	Timelines for Stadium construction, 1995