Miller Park

[skobabe8]

Miller Park is a great place, inside and out. I was glad i got the chance to see it a couple of years ago.

One thing I would really like to know more about is the BeerPen in right field along the fence. US Cellular has had one like that and I'm curious how different this one is and how the seating works. Any pics would be appreciated!

[LolichCombo]

Having never visited County Stadium or Miller Park, I can't really comment on the ballpark layouts. But I do remember the classic Bernie Brewer very well and was disappointed that his beer mug, chalet, and beer keg was replaced for a dugout and home plate. The new setup seems a lot more sparse and not as imaginative. The dugout and home plate could be adopted by any team, but the beer mug and chalet said "Brewers."

[Onemoredayatshea27]

I think they had to make it family friendly, by removing anything that could imply the use of alcohol. It's a shame, both things you mentioned would have been really cool in that ballpark.

[Lafferty Daniel]

My dad took me to Miller Park a few years ago. It really felt like they were playing baseball in a gym...even with the roof open.

[jimmyjimjimz]

I think they had to make it family friendly, by removing anything that could imply the use of alcohol. It's a shame, both things you mentioned would have been really cool in that ballpark.

do they not sell beer there too?

[Onemoredayatshea27]

I was a bit harsh with my words. Sure they sell beer, and yes they named after Miller, but is the idea of sliding down into a beer glass a good idea for kids?

Heck, I really haven no idea. Ha Ha. Sorry.

[Lafferty Daniel]

I was a bit harsh with my words. Sure they sell beer, and yes they named after Miller, but is the idea of sliding down into a beer glass a good idea for kids?

Heck, I really haven no idea. Ha Ha. Sorry.

A lot of kids in Wisconsin start drinking beer at age 13 anyways. I think they should bring back the beer mug.

[Hank 755]

A lot of kids in Wisconsin start drinking beer at age 13 anyways. I think they should bring back the beer mug.

With a comment like that I bet your from Illinois.

People complain that Miller has a corporate name, well Miller Brewing company is located IN MILWAUKEE so I don't see why people are complaining that the name has nothing to do with the team like other stadiums. The team is called the Brewers, the Brewers are located in Milwaukee, Miller Brewing is located in Milwaukee, the stadium is called Miller Park, Milwaukee is famous for beer. It's one thing to name it after a local company but to have the team called the Brewers and then have the stadium named after a famous company located in the same city that has something to do with the team name is another.

[Lafferty Daniel]

With a comment like that I bet your from Illinois.

People complain that Miller has a corporate name, well Miller Brewing company is located IN MILWAUKEE so I don't see why people are complaining that the name has nothing to do with the team like other stadiums. The team is called the Brewers, the Brewers are located in Milwaukee, Miller Brewing is located in Milwaukee, the stadium is called Miller Park, Milwaukee is famous for beer. It's one thing to name it after a local company but to have the team called the Brewers and then have the stadium named after a famous company located in the same city that has something to do with the team name is another.

Minnesota actually...but I went to college with a lot of good people from Wisconsin. I too think Miller Park is a good name for the Brewers. It is kind of strange that the stadium still celebrates the state's beer history, yet they don't have Bernie's beer mug because a few mothers complained.

[Hank 755]

Sorry if I sounded like I was trying to be mean, I figured you were from either Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, or possibly Iowa. I just took a guess and said Illinois so I made a friendly interstate rivalry comment type thing.

I guess it's because little kids probably don't know what a brewer even is, as I never knew when I was little, all I knew is that there was a big beer mug beyond the outfield. You can call the stadium Miller Park and the team Brewers because little kids don't know what they are but they are very keen on visuals so they would notice a giant beer barrel and mug I guess. Not only that you are associating beer with a character that is sort of cartoonish and therefore appealing to kids. Though with all the crap on TV nowadays I don't see how a beer mug can be offensive.

[hsnterprize]

I guess it's because little kids probably don't know what a brewer even is, as I never knew when I was little, all I knew is that there was a big beer mug beyond the outfield. You can call the stadium Miller Park and the team Brewers because little kids don't know what they are but they are very keen on visuals so they would notice a giant beer barrel and mug I guess. Not only that you are associating beer with a character that is sort of cartoonish and therefore appealing to kids. Though with all the crap on TV nowadays I don't see how a beer mug can be offensive.

I'll drink to that...



Sorry...I couldn't resist.

[hsnterprize]

Great photos.

I was thinking of doing a 4-level football stadium, like Miller Park. Then I realize that 4 levels is too many.

Well...a few other baseball parks nowadays have 4 levels. Usually, it's a lower level, a club level, a suite level, and an upper level.



Coors Field...



AT&T Park...



Citizens Bank Park...



Safeco Field...



...to name a few.

[hsnterprize]

Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf thought the "no obstructed views" would be something that would draw fans to this place. He was partially right. But because of local building codes and legislators telling him where he could put this place, the UD was pushed UP instead of BACK. If it were as pushed back as Reinsdorf wanted originally, it would be like another Miller Park.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[gman5431]

With a comment like that I bet your from Illinois.

People complain that Miller has a corporate name, well Miller Brewing company is located IN MILWAUKEE so I don't see why people are complaining that the name has nothing to do with the team like other stadiums. The team is called the Brewers, the Brewers are located in Milwaukee, Miller Brewing is located in Milwaukee, the stadium is called Miller Park, Milwaukee is famous for beer. It's one thing to name it after a local company but to have the team called the Brewers and then have the stadium named after a famous company located in the same city that has something to do with the team name is another.

All corporate names are stupid! But as corporate names go, the Brewers lucked out. As stated above, the company actually has a connection with the city and with the team, so its somewhat decent. I mean, we would love to have it named Brewers Park, but Miller is much less offensive then say "AT&T Park" or "PNC Park." The Reds lucked out too, i have met many people who didnt kno GABP was a corporate name.

G Man

[Onemoredayatshea27]

I'd add Citi Field to that list. The spelling is weird, but when you hear the word Citi, it sounds a lot less neutral then Tropicana or Minute Maid. Miller was a good choice for the Brewers, I'm just glad that there isn't a Walmart Park.

[JohnCropp]

Miller Park is definately on my list of places I'd like to catch a game. County Stadium definately was not.

The roof is very unique and the view from the parking lot is amazing. It alost looks too thin to be a ballpark.

After the accident and delays, it'd great to see the ballpark holding it's own amongst the modern baseball stadiums.

Although, everytime I see Bernie Brewer's slide I think that another tragedy is only a home run away.

Good God!

[brewerfan386]

I've been lurking around here for a while and couldn't resit showing some miller park photos from around the web. I really like m.p., I don't get why people hate it so much now that its been completed for over 5 Years. The Brewers are starting to get the benefits (revenue) of the new stadium with finishing at or above .500 in the last 2 years... end... rant















It is not a cheap place to get a really good brat

[nymdan]

Welcome, thanks for sharing. What is that where County Stadium used to be, a little league field or something?

[brewerfan386]

What is that where County Stadium used to be, a little league field or something?

Yea, that is Helfaer Field, little league teams can rent it out during the pro-season for tournaments and such. (the former home plate of county stadium is located behind the 3rd base line)

from the brewers site:"The $3.1 million facility was funded by a $2 million grant from the Evan and Marion Helfaer Foundation and an additional $1.1 million from the Miller Park infrastructure budget."

[hofflalu]

Yea, that is Helfaer Field, little league teams can rent it out during the pro-season for tournaments and such. (the former home plate of county stadium is located behind the 3rd base line)

from the brewers site:"The $3.1 million facility was funded by a $2 million grant from the Evan and Marion Helfaer Foundation and an additional $1.1 million from the Miller Park infrastructure budget."

This reminds me of something I could never figure out about Helfaer Field: why wasn't the field oriented the same way as the County Stadium field, with home plate in the same location? Take a look at this overhead shot of County Stadium & Miller Park:



You'll notice how the County Stadium field is oriented a bit more more towards the south (the Miller Park field hadn't been laid as of that photo, but other aerial views I've seen do show that County Stadium faced more south than Miller Park). Meanwhile, in the recent shot of Miller Park above, you can see Helfaer Field is oriented a little more to the east than Miller Park.

To me, it would have made since to have home plate at Helfaer in the exact location as County Stadium, and have the field facing the same direction, so it's kind of like the old County Stadium field. It's not like there are spacing issues: it's surrounded by wide-open parking. Heck, they could have even preserved the entire County Stadium field by adding green space/picnic/tailgating areas beyond the little league-distance fences, while inside of what would have been County Stadium's fences.

So, anyone know why the Brewers decided to orient Helfaer differently from County Stadium, and place home plate in a different location than where County Stadium's was?

[monotone]

The Brewers are starting to get the benefits (revenue) of the new stadium with finishing at or above .500 in the last 2 years... end... rant

I love the Brewers too but we have not finished at or above .500 the last two years. You are forgetting 2006

2007 83-79 (.512)
2006 75-87 (.463)
2005 81-81 (.500)

And it's not so much the revenue from the new stadium that is increasing our payroll. It's the fact that we finally have an owner that is committed to spending money on the team.

[Piusxibaseball]

this is what miller park needs

[Chevy114]

I have always been a fan of how they used a butterfly design for the roof, I know its not as good as safeco is at getting sunlight. But its a pretty neat idea that seems to be my 2nd fav. retractable roff. Some shots make it look like a giant warehouse, but other than that it looks like a great place to watch a game!

[btown12]

I have never been to Miller Park but I have read interviews with players that during afternoon games and early evenings that the windows and the sun shining through them make it very hard to see. Is this a problem for fans as well? Is this a problem at all?

[hofflalu]

From my February 26, 1994, copy of the Milwaukee Sentinel (shortly before it merged with the Milwaukee Journal): photos of the original Miller Park models, featuring the three proposals for roofs: the arch, the fan and the tent. These are the scans from my copy:

The Arch:





Some notes from the accompanying article:

Cost: $52.8 million

Each panel would be 300 feet wide, span 650 feet and have wheels resting on two permanent tracks.

The movable portion of the roof would be 335,000 square feet, with 65,000 square feet in the non-movable area.

The roof would be able to open and close in about 10 minutes.

The Fan:

Cost: $46.9 million

The moving portion of the roof would be 260,000 square feet. The adjoining non-movable roof would be 130,000 square feet.

The roof would be able to open or close in six minutes.

The Tent:

Cost: $45.8 million

The area of the movable panels would be 230,000 square feet, while the permanent roof area would be 170,000 square feet.

The roof would open or close in six minutes.

Also, this from the November 8, 1996, edition of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (by now the two papers had merged): a photo, from October of 1996, or site preparation. This photo appeared in an edition of the Journal-Sentinel commemorating the groundbreaking of Miller Park.