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Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.

No.

The Milwaukee Brewers would contribute $100 million toward renovations at American Family Field, extend the team’s lease on the stadium until 2050 and pledge not to relocate under a bill proposed by Republican state lawmakers.

The bill would allocate $614 million in public funding — from the state, the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County — to repair and renovate American Family Field.

On May 25, 2023, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said that Milwaukee risks losing the Brewers to another city if renovations to the stadium aren’t made and that the renovations require public funding.

A Wisconsin Assembly committee held a hearing Oct. 5 on the bill. Changes are expected before the Assembly and the Senate vote on it.

Baseball operations at the stadium generate about $19.8 million annually in taxes. That amount is expected to increase to $50.7 million by 2050 and cover the taxpayer cost.

This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Wisconsin Watch: Milwaukee Brewers: Republicans eye $614M to upgrade stadium

Wisconsin State Legislature: AB438: Bill Text

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The baseball commissioner has a message for Wisconsin. Fix American Family Field — or else

Wisconsin State Legislature: 2023 Assembly Bill 438

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Tom Kertscher joined as a Wisconsin Watch fact checker in January 2023 and contributes to our collaboration with the The Gigafact Project to fight misinformation online. Kertscher is a former longtime newspaper reporter, including at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who has worked as a self-employed journalist since 2019. His gigs include contributing writer for Milwaukee Magazine and sports freelancer for The Associated Press.