American Family Field's $546 million public funding plan is up for a vote next week

MADISON − Assembly lawmakers are poised to take up a $546 million ballpark financing plan next week aimed at keeping the Milwaukee Brewers in Wisconsin through at least 2050 − with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers supporting the measure.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the Assembly Committee on State Affairs on Thursday approved the bill for American Family Field's long-term improvements, advancing it to the full chamber.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, expects the bill to be taken up Tuesday. There was no immediate word on when the Senate would review the legislation.

A spokeswoman for Evers said the governor "supports this proposal and appreciates the broad, bipartisan effort toward reaching a compromise that ensures the Milwaukee Brewers and Major League Baseball remain in Wisconsin for future generations.”

The plan features $411 million from the state and $135 million from Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee to be paid over nearly 30 years, according to bill author Rep. Rob Brooks, R-Saukville. The Brewers would provide $100 million.

It's the third proposal to come from state officials this year to pay for renovations to American Family Field.

The stadium is owned largely by the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District, a state-created agency which leases the ballpark to the Brewers. That lease requires the stadium district to pay for most of the ballpark's long-term maintenance and renovations.

Evers in February proposed spending $290 million on American Family Field as part of his $104 billion budget proposal that leaned on a then-$7 billion budget surplus. The plan was scrapped by Republicans who control the Legislature.

The $290 million payment would have been combined with the $70 million already set aside by the stadium district, along with interest earnings, to pay for $448 million in renovations over 20 years.

In return, the Brewers lease would have extended from the end of 2030 to the end of 2043.

Assembly Republicans introduced their own proposal in September. It proposed spending $600 million − $400 million from the state and $200 million from Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee − with the lease extending to the end of 2050.

Latest version reduces payments from city and county taxpayers

The revised proposal, released Thursday, reduces the city and county to each paying $67.5 million over 27 years − a move designed to attract more support from Democratic lawmakers.

Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, said the revised proposal includes "significant improvements."

"It does minimize the impact on budgets for the city and county of Milwaukee and does some good work to offset a local contribution, so we're grateful to see that progress," Neubauer said.

While the city and county would still contribute local revenue under the proposal, the financial hit is smaller under the new proposal because the bill reduces the administrative fee the state charges local governments to administer local sales taxes.

"If approved, this change would result in counties receiving an estimated $6 million in additional sales tax remittance annually. And in the end, it will be the citizens of Wisconsin who win," Wisconsin Counties Association CEO Mark O'Connell said in a statement.

Crowley, Johnson signal their support

The new proposal also drew support from Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Mayor Cavalier Johnson.

“While we’ve secured a positive agreement in the Wisconsin State Assembly, I now look ahead to engaging with members of the State Senate on a path forward," Crowley said, in a statement.

"I am looking forward to continued negotiations over the coming weeks," he said.

Said Johnson, "I want the Brewers to be our home team for the indefinite future, and I want local taxpayers to be protected from excessive costs. The proposal shared today achieves those objectives, and it has my full support.”

Brooks told committee members last week he would seek to include in the new proposal a ticket surcharge for concerts and other non-Brewers events to help raise money for the stadium's improvements. That measure was not included in the new proposal but Brooks said it could be added to the bill by lawmakers in the state Senate.

Neubauer told reporters Thursday that idea did not have support but Vos said he doesn't oppose the idea. An aide clarified Monday that Neubauer was referring to a lack of support among stakeholders and not caucus members.

Spokesmen for Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and Senate President Chris Kapenga did not respond to questions about whether they support the revised package for the Brewers.

Brewers President of Business Operations Rick Schlesinger issued a statement supporting "the ongoing work by policymakers on both sides of the aisle to help the Stadium District fund its current and future obligations."

Molly Beck and Tom Daykin can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com and tom.daykin@jrn.com.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: AmFam Field's $546 million public funding plan up for vote next week