Miller Park

Opening Day 2001 marked the passing of the old to the new for Baseball fans of Milwaukee as Brewers fans bid farewell to County Stadium and said hello to Miller Park. With over a decade of planning and 4 1/2 years of construction, Miller Park opened its doors for Milwaukee Brewers Fans on April 6, 2001. President George W. Bush was on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, officially marking the opening of Miller Park.

Miller Park is a traditional ballpark reflecting local architecture, but has a retractable dome roof to protect against the cool weather in Wisconsin during the spring and fall. At a cost $400 million, Miller Park was partially financed by a five county, 1/10th of a cent sales tax increase. Beginning in January 1996, the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball District began levying the tax to help finance its $160 million contribution to Miller Park.

As construction of Miller Park finally began in 1999 there were delays along the way, most notably when three construction workers tragically lost their lives in a crane accident on July 14th of 1999. The accident caused a year delay for the opening of Miller Park, as well as an additional $100 million.

Miller Park truly is state-of-the-art; so much so that Major League Baseball chose Milwaukee for its mid-summer classic, the All-Star Game, to be played at Miller Park in 2002. The signature fan-shaped convertible roof (the only of its kind in North America), a color replay board of epic size and four-level seating begins to show how Miller Park is one of baseball's crown jewels. In fact, Miller Park marked the largest construction project in Wisconsin history.

In less than 10 minutes, the convertible roof of Miller Park opens or closes in virtual silence. Reaching 200 feet above the playing field, the roof consists of seven panels, each as large as the roof of the Bradley Center. Below sits the turf made of natural grass. A home run to center field in Miller Park would have to scale the 8 foot wall and clear the 400 foot distance from home plate.

Miller Park can seat 42,400 spectators through its stadium and suite seating. There are a total of 70 suites in Miller Park, each with spectacular views of the play on the field. Miller Park's .300 Club offers season-ticket holders access to an elegant spot for dining, entertaining and cocktails. There are three family sections in Miller Park, addressing the needs of families with youngsters. As stated, a fan-friendly ballpark, Miller Park accommodates the needs of its visitors with plenty of food and beverage options, as well as an ample supply of much needed restrooms.

During a Brewer game at Miller Park, fans will hopefully see Bernie Brewer go down his slide, which he does after one of the Brewers hits a home run. Fans will also see the famous Klement's Sausage Race in the 7th inning, as well as sing Take me out to the Ballgame during the 7th Inning Stretch.

Overall, the Miller Park site covers 265 acres, with the building covering 25 acres. It has been noted that it would take 4,655,926,995 baseballs to fill Miller Park.

Displayed inside Miller Park are the retired numbers of past Brewers greats: Henry Aaron (44), Rollie Fingers (34), Robin Yount (19) and Paul Molitor (4). In 2005, the number 50 was added to honor hall of fame announcer Bob Uecker's 50 years in professional baseball.

Outside Miller Park, on the spot where the original County Stadium field was, sits Helfaer Field, a tremendous spot for youth baseball and softball. The $3.1 million Field was funded by a generous grant from the Helfaer Foundation, as well as additional funding from the Miller Park budget. Mr. Helfaer was actually an original investor in the Milwaukee Brewers years ago. Near Helfaer field, there lies a monument to the Miller Park construction workers, a pair of bronze statues of Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Robin Yount alongside other tributes to other Brewer greats. It is said that the original home plate in County Stadium would be located somewhere near third base in Helfaer Field.

A visit to Miller Park isn't dependent on the Brewers being in town. Options for visitors include: tours of Miller Park are available on a daily basis (subject to game schedules), Friday's Front Row Sports Grill is a year-round dining option with great views of the Park, and of course, a Little League game at Helfaer Field would be a treat!

Children 2 years of age and younger do not need a ticket to see a game at Miller Park. Preferred and general parking is available at Miller Park via Miller Park Way.

Miller Park
One Brewers Way
Milwaukee, WI 53214