Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Groundbreaking: November 9, 1996
First National League game: April 6, 2001 (Mil 5, Cin 4)
Surface: Natural grass
Architects: Eppstein Uhen Architects (Milwaukee), HKS, Inc. and NBBJ
Construction: Huber, Hunt & Nichols Inc. with Clark Construction and Hunzinger Construction.
Roof construction: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America.
Owners: Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball District & the Milwaukee Brewers
Cost: $400 million.
Public financing: $310 million from a five-county sales tax increase.
Private financing: $90 million from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Seating Capacity: 42,400
Dimensions:
LF foul line: 344 ft.
LF alley: 371 ft.
Center field: 400 ft.
RF alley: 374 ft.
RF foul line: 345 ft.
Height of fences: Left and center field, 8 ft.; Right field, 6 ft.
Hosted World Series: Never
Hosted All-Star Game: 2002
Originally planned to open in time for the 1999 season and host the All-Star game that year, financing problems led to a stall in construction that pushed back the opening one year. Then disaster struck on July 14, 1999 when the huge crane lifting one of the roof sections into place blew over in high winds, killing three construction workers. The accident stalled construction and once again the opening of Miller Park was pushed back another year.
Finally, on April 6, 2001, Brewers Owner and baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and President George W. Bush threw out the opening balls as the Brewers christened their new home with a 5-4 win over division rival Cincinnati.
Unlike other convertable stadiums, Miller Park's roof is a fan-shaped design - with 2 fixed sections and 5 movable sections that "fan" out from either side of the grandstand with large glass-paned walls extending upward from the granstand to the roof above the 1st and 3rd base stands, and almost the entire expanse of the outfield. Of the property itself, The Miller Park site plan totals 265 acres including the ballpark, parking for 12,000 vehicles, roads, bridges, ramps and landscaping. Other enhancements include work on the Menomonee River and Henry Aaron State Trail, and a Little League facility to be constructed on the historic County Stadium site.
The good: Possibly the best tailgating atmosphere in the country. It's practically a religon in Wisconsin.
The bad: Even when the roof is open, it doesn't feel quite as "open" as some other retractable-roof ballparks.
The ugly: The main color scheme used for the seats, railings and concrete trim above the outfield is "Fenway" green - Which looked great, except that in 2003, the outfield wall was painted a "purpleish" Brewer blue. These two colors being used together has to be one of the worst collision of colors ever seen in a baseball park.
Milwaukee Brewers
One Brewers Way
Milwaukee, WI 53214
(800) 933-7890
Field Infield Box $38
Field Outfield Box $30
Loge Diamond Box $33
Loge Infield Box $30
Loge Outfield Box $22
Club Infield Box $35
Terrace Box $17
Terrace Reserved $12
Field Bleachers $15
Loge Bleachers $15
Bernie's Terrace $5
Seating Chart
Purchase Brewers Tickets
TV: FSN
In-park dining choices: Friday's Front Row Sports Grill, Big B's Diner, Home Sweet Home, MVP Pizza, Brat Boys, Home Fire Grill, Brushback BBQ, On Deck Deli, Hey Baker Baker and Gorman's Corner, County Stadium Grille.
Milwaukee Local Dining Guide - Best Bets
Directions & Parking
Ballpark Tour & Vacation Packages
NOTES, FACTS AND FEATURES
Perhaps the biggest fan-friendly trademark at Miller Park is the slide down which "Bernie the Brewer" plunges every time the home team gets a home run. It is located at the edge of the upper deck in left field. .
Size of building: 1.2 million square feet or 25 acres, Span of roof: 600 feet covering 10.5 acres, Height of roof at the peak: 330 feet
Open year-round, the left field "Hot Corner" is anchored by Friday's Front Row Sports Grill, featuring a great view of the field, the Brewers Fan Zone souvenir shop and the Walls of Honor exhibit recognizing the Negro Leagues, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and Wisconsin-born Major Leaguers.
Located throughout the concourses, a series of colorful murals depict the five great industries of Wisconsin and the five eras of baseball in the state. The "Home to Heroes" murals celebrate the beginning of baseball in the state with the American League Brewers of 1901 and continue to the current team.
A pair of bronze statues on the home plate plaza, designed by a pair of world-renowned sculptors, commemorate Henry Aaron and Robin Yount, two of the greatest players in Milwaukee baseball history. In July 2001, the Brewers named a Hall-of-Fame foursome to the Miller Park Walk of Fame, a series of markers which will eventually circle the ballpark. Aaron, Yount, Rollie Fingers and Paul Molitor -- the four players whose numbers hang retired above the center field wall -- were inducted into the Walk's first class.
The Big League Blast is located on the Loge Level in the left field corner and provides a variety of interactive activities. This area gives fans the opportunity to test their baseball knowledge and skills.
The 3rd deck above the loge bleachers in right field, called the Dew Deck, is rented only to groups.
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