MLB has told the brewers that they need to make stadium repairs

[patrickgpe]

https://newstalk1130.iheart.com/featured/common-sense-central/content/2023-05-24-exclusive-mlb-tells-brewers-they-need-to-repair-american-family-field/?fbclid=IwAR1EMlsSbxS_XRfiljoPuLUA8SnT0cDYa4l3AkV9PMTrk3h9190lUz3yhqs

 

figured this deserved its own thread. no ultimatum made by MLB and its well known that repairs are needed on the stadium, but this adds some urgency to this matter. 

[owbc]

"MLB has told the Brewers that they need to tell the taxpayers to make stadium repairs"

FTFY

 

[nate82]

4 minutes ago, owbc said:

"MLB has told the Brewers that they need to tell the taxpayers to make stadium repairs"

FTFY

 

Since the city owns the property and the Brewers are just leasing the city has to pay for the repairs or at least the majority of them.  Cities shouldn’t be owning stadiums.  That should be on the teams.  It also makes it harder for a team to leave if they own the stadium.  

[Frisbee Slider]

Is American Family Field really in such disrepair to warrant a formal warning from MLB?

[tmwiese55]

I'd be curious of what is needed?  From the average joe walking around perspective it seems perfectly fine, nothing is falling a fault or drastically bad.   Maybe some clubhouse stuff and of course any modernization after 20+ years. Any structure maintenance to ensure safety, sure. And in general it's good to get ahead of problems before it's too late.  They already upgraded the video screens,  What is needed that could cost that much?

[Ro Mueller]

52 minutes ago, patrickgpe said:

https://newstalk1130.iheart.com/featured/common-sense-central/content/2023-05-24-exclusive-mlb-tells-brewers-they-need-to-repair-american-family-field/?fbclid=IwAR1EMlsSbxS_XRfiljoPuLUA8SnT0cDYa4l3AkV9PMTrk3h9190lUz3yhqs

 

figured this deserved its own thread. no ultimatum made by MLB and its well known that repairs are needed on the stadium, but this adds some urgency to this matter. 

Sort of thing I'd totally ignore if I was the mayor, governor, senator, assemblyman. Leaked conveniently close to other news on taxpayers picking up cost of planned improvements, so simply feels too coordinated. Process is already underway to consider repairs and how to pay for it. MLB is like the guy at work checking on the task you're already doing, adding zero value.

[AKCheesehead]

I struggle with this part:

Under the terms of the lease, the District is responsible for "all Major Capital Repairs" and must keep American Family Field in a condition that "can reasonably be said to fall within the 'top' twenty-five percent (25%) of all such facilities, when such facilities are ranked or rated according to the quality with which they are repaired and improved."

I'm interpreting that as, your stadium must rate in the top 25% of stadiums in order to have a team.  How is that fair or possible?  By that criteria, no matter what, 3/4 of the teams in MLB will always be in trouble about their stadium.  I must be missing something here....

[Frisbee Slider]

2 minutes ago, AKCheesehead said:

I'm interpreting that as, your stadium must rate in the top 25% of stadiums in order to have a team.  How is that fair or possible? 

I believe this is language agreed to between Milwaukee Brewers and the taxpayers of the Five County Area. The Brewers are entitled to a ‘top-tier’ stadium otherwise the Stadium District (taxpayers) are in default of the lease contract.

[igor67]

It is objectively silly contract language though because it could become mathematically impossible if 7 other teams had the same language..

[Axman59]

Comparing Miller Park to the dump the A's play in is like comparing a 2013 Lexus to a 1976 Ford Pinto.

[AKCheesehead]

47 minutes ago, Frisbee Slider said:

I believe this is language agreed to between Milwaukee Brewers and the taxpayers of the Five County Area. The Brewers are entitled to a ‘top-tier’ stadium otherwise the Stadium District (taxpayers) are in default of the lease contract.

Thank you.  That makes sense now that I've re-read it.

[Axman59]

What's the penalty for the Stadium District defaulting on the lease?

[Jopal78]

11 minutes ago, Axman59 said:

What's the penalty for the Stadium District defaulting on the lease?

Brewers are free to go somewhere else, and potentially being on the hook for the costs of them moving. 
 

Evers and the legislature passed a law eliminating the Stadium District‘S ability to collect tax revenue. Given the political climate in Wisconsin they’ll never get a bill passed to institute or restart the sales tax. 
 

This has always just been attempting to get leverage for negotiations over how much each side is going to pay for any maintenance or improvements that become necessary for the structure.

[homer]

They did the same thing with County Stadium.

[Samurai Bucky]

14 hours ago, Jopal78 said:

Evers and the legislature passed a law eliminating the Stadium District‘S ability to collect tax revenue. Given the political climate in Wisconsin they’ll never get a bill passed to institute or restart the sales tax. 

Yet, there will most likely be a 2% increase proposed for the city during the next election, plus a .375 increase in Milwaukee County.  The issues the city and county are having now are a result of abysmal fund management dating back at least 40 years.

If they would do more with the area around the stadium to make it more useful, devoting taxpayer money towards the stadium becomes more palatable.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Just put a fresh coat of paint on it and tell MLB to fly a kite elsewhere - what are they going to do, threaten to move the team to Oakland?

[Brock Beauchamp]

18 hours ago, Frisbee Slider said:

Is American Family Field really in such disrepair to warrant a formal warning from MLB?

It sure doesn't feel that way. I haven't been to the Trop but it feels impossible AmFam is worse than that place.

And then there's the Colosseum, which literally had a possum infiltration, which led to this amazing tweet:

 

[jhart05]

Really?

But 100+ year old Wrigley Field, that actually had concrete falling off, where they had to put up nets so it didn't fall on the fans, is just fine now? 

Been awhile since I've been in Chicago.  Are they still peeing in troughs down there?  But AmFam field needs bathroom upgrades?

[homer]

40 minutes ago, Samurai Bucky said:

Yet, there will most likely be a 2% increase proposed for the city during the next election, plus a .375 increase in Milwaukee County.  The issues the city and county are having now are a result of abysmal fund management dating back at least 40 years.

If they would do more with the area around the stadium to make it more useful, devoting taxpayer money towards the stadium becomes more palatable.

They are trying. Need Brewers to sign off.

https://www.fox6now.com/news/beer-district-american-family-field-entertainment-district

[patrickgpe]

Here is the best I could find regarding what is needed:

https://www.fox6now.com/sports/brewers-amfam-field-needs-428m-worth-work-over-20-years-study

 

if the state pays this, that state of the art clause should be removed and the leases extended as start of concessions. 

Also, while not realistic, if the state could sell the stadium to the brewers after the repairs are done, that would be ideal, but again wont happen, because the brewers deal is pretty sweet. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

1 hour ago, Samurai Bucky said:

Yet, there will most likely be a 2% increase proposed for the city during the next election, plus a .375 increase in Milwaukee County.  The issues the city and county are having now are a result of abysmal fund management dating back at least 40 years.

If they would do more with the area around the stadium to make it more useful, devoting taxpayer money towards the stadium becomes more palatable.

I know I've mentioned it before but I find the entire area around AmFam to be infuriating. It's so bloody hard to get in and out, there's nothing around it, and compared to most other modern ballparks, the location and area feels like a throwback (in the bad sort of way).

They really need to figure out how to build out around the stadium and make it more of a modern experience without completely gutting the tailgating culture of the area.

[patrickgpe]

3 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I know I've mentioned it before but I find the entire area around AmFam to be infuriating. It's so bloody hard to get in and out, there's nothing around it, and compared to most other modern ballparks, the location and area feels like a throwback (in the bad sort of way).

They really need to figure out how to build out around the stadium and make it more of a modern experience without completely gutting the tailgating culture of the area.

you should have seen the area in the county stadium days, its much more built up. I agree, its not like the twins park or anything. I have felt that the bucks and brewers arenas should have been built on the lake, but that would making it even a larger  hassel to go to games. 

[Jopal78]

1 hour ago, jhart05 said:

Really?

But 100+ year old Wrigley Field, that actually had concrete falling off, where they had to put up nets so it didn't fall on the fans, is just fine now? 

Been awhile since I've been in Chicago.  Are they still peeing in troughs down there?  But AmFam field needs bathroom upgrades?

Wrigley Field was made a National Historic Landmark. Given that designation (and the tax credits for renovations that came with it) they could not change too much. 

[Jopal78]

39 minutes ago, patrickgpe said:

Here is the best I could find regarding what is needed:

https://www.fox6now.com/sports/brewers-amfam-field-needs-428m-worth-work-over-20-years-study

 

if the state pays this, that state of the art clause should be removed and the leases extended as start of concessions. 

Also, while not realistic, if the state could sell the stadium to the brewers after the repairs are done, that would be ideal, but again wont happen, because the brewers deal is pretty sweet. 

I read both articles, it’s just a rehash of the same business from last year, and the byproduct of repealing the 5 county sales tax.
 

We all know, the Brewers commissioned their own study for what repairs may become necessary and how much those repairs might cost. The stadium district declined to order their own study (Had they got their own study, dollars to donuts it would call for fewer repairs at a cheaper price).

Then, Evers smelling political opportunity, calls for 290 million in this year’s budget surplus dollars to go for Stadium repairs. The legislature also smelling political opportunity, calls it a bad deal, a waste of money, and kills the proposal earlier on May 3rd.

Just weeks later, MLB (according to the articles) informs the Brewers the repairs outlined in the team commissioned study really should be done, just as Manfred is going to be in town on his tour of each major league park.

Back to square one….Brewers want repairs subsidized, the Governor and legislature in Wisconsin will fight to a stalemate on the issue, and the Brewers don’t have a good option to relocate anyways when they’re told to go pound sand by the State.

[nate82]

3 minutes ago, Jopal78 said:

Back to square one….Brewers want repairs subsidized, the Governor and legislature in Wisconsin will fight to a stalemate on the issue, and the Brewers don’t have a good option to relocate anyways when they’re told to go pound sand by the State.

Except the State can't tell the Brewers to go pound sand.  The State has a legal obligation in a binding contract to make these repairs.  The State has to make the repairs according to the contract that they have made with the Brewers.  The Brewers could sue the State and they would win and the State would have to pay for its portion of the repairs.

Either they pay for the repairs or they get sued to pay for the repairs either way the State is paying for its portion of the repairs.