A day after Republicans unveiled their $700 million plan to fund improvements at American Family Field, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson intensified his calls for the Brewers to develop parking lots and land surrounding the ballpark. “You know, they’ve got a lot of parking,” Johnson said. “They’ve got a lot of parking.” Johnson wants the Brewers to covert some of the 12,000 parking spots to generate new tax revenue to help offset the GOP funding plan that calls for $200 million from Milwaukee and Milwaukee County taxpayers over the next 27 years. “The reality is, could someday some development around the ballpark be a reality?” Rick Schlesinger said, Brewers president of business operations. “Sure. Is that day anytime soon? No. I’m very protective of our tailgating culture.” The $700 million Republican plan would keep the Brewers in Milwaukee through 2050 including $400 million from the state through taxes generated on player salaries, $200 million from Milwaukee and Milwaukee County and $100 million from the Brewers. The funding breaks down to roughly $7.5 million annually locally, which includes $5 million from the county and $2.5 million from the city. “The Common Council, of course, wants the Milwaukee Brewers to stay here in Milwaukee,” Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic said Tuesday. “I want to make sure that we’re really clear about that. However, there is a cost to that.” The Brewers are expected to generate $1.3 million in sales tax revenue for the county next year and $3.5 million for the city in 2024 and increase to $2.7 million for the county and $7.5 million for the city by 2050. “We’re not asking for something that has not happened in communities across the country,” Johnson said. “Places that have stadiums have built up districts around the stadiums to have more jobs and more development and more vitality.” The GOP plan would still need approval from the state Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers.
A day after Republicans unveiled their $700 million plan to fund improvements at American Family Field, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson intensified his calls for the Brewers to develop parking lots and land surrounding the ballpark.
“You know, they’ve got a lot of parking,” Johnson said. “They’ve got a lot of parking.”
Johnson wants the Brewers to covert some of the 12,000 parking spots to generate new tax revenue to help offset the GOP funding plan that calls for $200 million from Milwaukee and Milwaukee County taxpayers over the next 27 years.
“The reality is, could someday some development around the ballpark be a reality?” Rick Schlesinger said, Brewers president of business operations. “Sure. Is that day anytime soon? No. I’m very protective of our tailgating culture.”
The $700 million Republican plan would keep the Brewers in Milwaukee through 2050 including $400 million from the state through taxes generated on player salaries, $200 million from Milwaukee and Milwaukee County and $100 million from the Brewers.
The funding breaks down to roughly $7.5 million annually locally, which includes $5 million from the county and $2.5 million from the city.
“The Common Council, of course, wants the Milwaukee Brewers to stay here in Milwaukee,” Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic said Tuesday. “I want to make sure that we’re really clear about that. However, there is a cost to that.”
The Brewers are expected to generate $1.3 million in sales tax revenue for the county next year and $3.5 million for the city in 2024 and increase to $2.7 million for the county and $7.5 million for the city by 2050.
“We’re not asking for something that has not happened in communities across the country,” Johnson said. “Places that have stadiums have built up districts around the stadiums to have more jobs and more development and more vitality.”
The GOP plan would still need approval from the state Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers.
