Apparently American Family field needs some upgrades and the Milwaukee Brewers are looking for help from the public sector again. Originally Governor Evers came up with a modest plan but the Republicans, out of pure animus toward the governor, shot it down. And then they came up with a bigger plan that required more public funding from the state, county, and city governments. Funding that the county and city did not have in their plans at all. Now granted the GOP plan would require a longer lease extension but that’s only part of it. The public already built the joint for them and essentially own it. But I think the Brewers are looking at how it got there and the Bucks sweet deal for Fiserv Forum and are just going for it! But it looks like the GOP is scaling the agreement back a bit. But I still have other ideas:
Decades ago, I owned a small record store in downtown Milwaukee. I leased the store front. My lease stated that the building owner was responsible for maintaining the outer walls, roof, basement floor, and any infrastructure leading into the building. So when the water hook up in the street went south, the landlord fixed it. When the water heater went out, I fixed it. When the roof had a little leak, he fixed it. When the carpet needed replacing, I did.
So why isn’t the Brewers lease similar? If the roof leaks, the owner, (us) fixes it. When the exterior cladding needs tuck-pointing, the owner fixes it. But when the scoreboard wants an update, the luxury boxes want a modernizing, the infield needs new sod, or the seating is worn out…the Brewers should pay for that.
From the linked article:
Reports commissioned by the Brewers and another by a state consultant found American Family Field’s glass outfield doors, seats and concourses should be replaced, its luxury suites and technology such as its sound system and video scoreboard need upgrades, and its signature retractable roof needs repairs. Fire suppression systems, parking lots, elevators and escalators need work, too.
So the owners fix the roof? Not sure on the doors. But it sounds like most of these other items should be on the Brewers. If they want ‘us’ to fix the parking lots, I think the parking lot revenue should revert to ‘us’.
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