Gov. Tony Evers signs stadium funding bill to keep Brewers in Milwaukee

LEAST 2050. I AM PLEASED TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO CELEBRATE AN HISTORIC BIPARTISAN ACCOMPLISHMENT. TONIGHT, AFTER MONTHS OF INTENSE NEGOTIATIONS, THE RACING SAUSAGES BRINGING HOME THE BIPARTISAN MOMENT, GETTING TO THE FINAL OUTCOME. WHILE IT MAY HAVE TAKEN US EIGHT MONTHS IN A PURPLE STATE, WE’RE HERE TODAY. THE FACT THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE ALL THE PARTIES CAME TOGETHER, INCLUDING, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS. GOVERNOR TONY EVERS SIGNING THE BREWERS FUNDING DEAL INTO LAW ALONGSIDE LAWMAKERS, LOCAL LEADERS, MLB COMMISSIONER EMERITUS BUD SELIG AND BREWERS PRINCIPAL OWNER MARK ATTANASIO. THE DEAL KEEPING THE TEAM IN MILWAUKEE THROUGH AT LEAST 2050. THE ROUGHLY $600 MILLION USED TO PAY FOR REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD. WE NEVER CONSIDERED GOING ANYWHERE ELSE. WE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE HERE. SURE, A NUMBER OF INQUIRIES CAME IN THE FUNDING OVER THE NEXT 27 YEARS. A CRITICAL PART OF THE DEAL ROUGHLY 360 MILLION COMING FROM THE STATE ON TAXES COLLECTED ON PLAYER SALARIES, 135 MILLION FROM MILWAUKEE AND MILWAUKEE COUNTY TAXPAYERS WAS AN ADDITIONAL 110 MILLION FROM THE BREWERS. GOVERNOR EVERS WITH US JUST MOMENTS AFTER I HEARD FROM SOME IN THOSE FINAL DAYS THAT YOU WERE LITERALLY WORKING THE PHONES, PICKING UP, CALLING DEMOCRATS TO GET THEM ON BOARD. IS THAT IS THAT FAIR? I WAS CALLING TALKING TO PEOPLE, YES. YEAH. AND JUST MAKING SURE THEY KNEW HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS. HOW CLOSE WERE WE TO THIS? NOT PASSING? I THINK IT WAS VERY CLOSE. I THINK IT WAS VERY CLOSE THAT IT IT IT TOOK ON A BIT OF A LIFE OF ITSELF. SOME INTERESTING INSIGHT THERE, MATT. THE NEW PLAN ALSO INCLUDES A NEW TICKET TAX. YEAH. PATRICK ONLY ON NON-GAME EVENTS HERE AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD, WHICH THE BREWERS HOPE TO INCREASE OVER TIME. MONEY ALSO SET ASIDE TO WINTERIZE THE BALLPARK INSIDE IN THE COMING YEARS AS PART OF THE OVERALL DEAL. OUR CONVERSATION WITH THE GOVERNOR ONE ON ONE WILL CONTINUE SUNDAY ON UPFRONT THE NEW BEHIND THE SCENES INSIGHTS AND THE GOVERNOR MAKING NEWS ON THE YEAR AHEAD. THERE’S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT. 12 NEWS POLITICAL DIRECTOR MATT SMITH LIVE AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD. THE BREWERS SAY THEY HAVE A LONG LIST OF REPAIRS. AMONG THEM REPLACING THE STADIUM’S GLASS OUTFIELD DOORS, SEATS AND CONCOURSES AS WELL AS UPGRADES TO THE LUXURY SUITES AND VIDEO SCOREBOARD AND REPAIRS TO THE ROOF, PARKING LOTS, ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS. THE TEAM IS EXPECTED TO MEET WITH THE STADIUM BOARD THIS MONTH TO GO OVER THE LIST. IT HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY TO GET TO THE BILL SIGNING TODAY. YOU CAN WATCH PAST STORIES ON

Gov. Tony Evers signs ballpark funding bill to help Milwaukee Brewers repair their stadium over the next three decades. Gov. Evers signed the bipartisan bill Tuesday at the American Family Field in Milwaukee. "This plan provides more than $500 million in public funding over the terms of the lease of this facility," Evers said. "This plan ensures that the Milwaukee Brewers will continue to call this city home for nearly 30 more years."The state is estimated to contribute roughly $360 million over the course of 27 years on taxes collected through player salaries. Milwaukee and Milwaukee County will contribute $135 million, and the package also includes an additional $110 million from the Brewers.The Brewers, for their part, will spend $110 million and extend their lease at the stadium through 2050, keeping Major League Baseball in its smallest market for another 27 years.WATCH: Gov. Tony Evers signs stadium funding bill to keep Brewers in Milwaukee Every non-game event at American Family Field will now include a $2 ticket tax that will increase to $3 in 2033 and $4 in 2042, as well as an $8 surcharge on suite tickets that increases to $9 in 2033 and $10 in 2042.Part of the plan includes winterizing American Family Field, a project estimated to cost about $25 million in an effort to host events year-round.According to the Brewers, the 22-year-old stadium needs extensive repairs. The team argues that the stadium’s glass outfield doors, seats and concourses should be replaced and that luxury suites and the video scoreboard need upgrades. The stadium’s signature retractable roof, fire suppression systems, parking lots, elevators and escalators need work as well. An analysis by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates the tax will generate roughly $20.7 million through 2050 and will decrease the state's overall contributionInformation from the Associated Press was used in this report.

MILWAUKEE —

Gov. Tony Evers signs ballpark funding bill to help Milwaukee Brewers repair their stadium over the next three decades.

Gov. Evers officials signs Brewers funding bills into law, keeping the team in Milwaukee through 2050 pic.twitter.com/WXQzvOBjBm
— Matt Smith (@mattsmith_news) December 5, 2023

Gov. Evers signed the bipartisan bill Tuesday at the American Family Field in Milwaukee. "This plan provides more than $500 million in public funding over the terms of the lease of this facility," Evers said. "This plan ensures that the Milwaukee Brewers will continue to call this city home for nearly 30 more years."

That's a wrap! We're keeping the @Brewers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin through 2050.

It's a great day to be a Wisconsinite and a great day to be a Brewers fan. ⚾ pic.twitter.com/VRtWOWngCg
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) December 5, 2023

The state is estimated to contribute roughly $360 million over the course of 27 years on taxes collected through player salaries.

Milwaukee and Milwaukee County will contribute $135 million, and the package also includes an additional $110 million from the Brewers.

The Brewers, for their part, will spend $110 million and extend their lease at the stadium through 2050, keeping Major League Baseball in its smallest market for another 27 years.

WATCH: Gov. Tony Evers signs stadium funding bill to keep Brewers in Milwaukee

Every non-game event at American Family Field will now include a $2 ticket tax that will increase to $3 in 2033 and $4 in 2042, as well as an $8 surcharge on suite tickets that increases to $9 in 2033 and $10 in 2042.

Part of the plan includes winterizing American Family Field, a project estimated to cost about $25 million in an effort to host events year-round.

According to the Brewers, the 22-year-old stadium needs extensive repairs. The team argues that the stadium’s glass outfield doors, seats and concourses should be replaced and that luxury suites and the video scoreboard need upgrades. The stadium’s signature retractable roof, fire suppression systems, parking lots, elevators and escalators need work as well.

An analysis by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates the tax will generate roughly $20.7 million through 2050 and will decrease the state's overall contribution

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Gov. Tony Evers signs stadium funding bill to keep Brewers in Milwaukee

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