Miller Park
Encyclopedia
Miller Park is a ballpark
located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. It is home to the Milwaukee Brewers
and was completed in 2001 as a replacement for Milwaukee County Stadium
. The park is located just southwest of the intersection of I-94
, US-41
, and Miller Park Way (WIS-341). The title sponsor is the Miller Brewing Company
. Miller's contract with the stadium was for $40 million, and runs until 2020.
Miller park features North America's only fan-shaped convertible roof, which can open and close in less than 10 minutes. Large panes of glass allow natural grass to grow.
290 million of public funds from a 0.1% sales tax
that began January 1, 1996, and is scheduled for retirement upon completion, sometime around 2017. The tax is applied on purchases in Milwaukee County and four surrounding counties: Ozaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha. The tax was controversial, in part because of the notion of using public funds for a privately owned sports team. The state senator
who cast the deciding vote in the funding bill, George Petak
of Racine
, lost a recall election
based on his vote for the stadium.
Groundbreaking took place on November 9, 1996, in a parking lot behind County Stadium. The ballpark was originally scheduled to open in 2000. Construction was delayed after three construction workers were killed in an accident. The massive Lampson
Transi-lift crane 3 (nicknamed "Big Blue"
), brought in to build the roof, collapsed while lifting a 400-ton roof section, during windy conditions, on July 14, 1999. A camera crew was filming construction of the stadium on that day and captured the collapse on video as it occurred. The stadium did not open until Opening Day 2001.
The stadium has a retractable roof, built in a unique convertible style, with the roof panels opening and closing simultaneously in a sweeping manner from the first- and third-base sides toward center field. The complex and massive roof was a significant factor in the $392 million cost of the stadium. It allows the seating area to be heated 30 degrees warmer than the outside temperature when closed, allowing games to be played in inclement weather and in more comfortable conditions than an open air stadium.
The design team was appointed after a design competition in the mid 1990s. The architectural concept for the stadium was developed by the Los Angeles based sports and entertainment team NBBJ
, who worked closely with a Los Angeles-based team of engineers Arup
, who were responsible for all stages of the structural and building services engineering design for the stadium, with the exception of the mechanical mechanisms that move the roof structure. The original versions of these mechanisms were designed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America as part of a design and build contract, but they have now been replaced by new designs after their failure. The executive architect responsible for the delivery of the final stadium design was a Dallas-based team of HKS, Inc.
In addition to these major players there were a significant contributions from local teams including Eppstein Uhen architects.
The stadium design followed the trend of retro-designed ballparks with current amenities that began in 1992 with Oriole Park at Camden Yards
in Baltimore, Maryland.
The original grass playing surface was installed on March 10, 2001.
-shaped roof
has not been without complications. Major elements of the pivot system behind home plate and the outfield roof track have been replaced. Even after the crane incident.
At the end of the 2006 season, the roof's bogie
system was replaced at a cost of over $13 million. The 10 new, 24-feet-(7.3 m)-long, 60 hp bogies were paid for with money from the settlement between the stadium district and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America
. Six of the bogies weigh 66 tons apiece, while the four others weigh 49 tons. The work was completed by lifting sections of the roof approximately six inches with hydraulic lifts, while a 300-ton crane replaced the bogies individually. "The bogies will last for the life of the facility," said Mike Duckett, executive director of the Miller Park stadium district. The project was completed by the start of the 2007 season.
scoreboards along the left-field wall. The new "out of town" scoreboards show continually updated information about other Major League games, including the score, hits, errors, outs, and an image of the field displaying the runners on base. A second-tier marquee scoreboard was also added along the bottom of the 300-level of the stadium stretching from foul pole to home plate to foul pole. The section of the second-tier scoreboard above home plate displays statistics for those unable to see the main scoreboard above the center-field wall. All of the scoreboards were designed, manufactured and installed by Daktronics
, a company in Brookings, South Dakota
. The final addition to Miller Park for the 2006 season was the addition of a field-level picnic area in the corner of right-field. The picnic area has a capacity of 75 and provides a place for fans to watch the game in a leisurely setting and be within feet of the right-fielder. Known first as the Mercedes-Benz Field Haus, the picnic area's name was changed to AirTran Airways
Landing Zone in 2009.
During the 2007 season, as the Brewers got closer to the team record of home runs in a season, a home run counter was added to the right of the center field scoreboard. In the shape of a gas pump, the counter was sponsored by Citgo
, whose name could be seen as a play on words for a home run (C-It-Go). The counter kept track of the home runs hit by the Brewers during the season and when a home run was hit, the player's name was shown on the display as well as the distance of the home run. The Citgo home run counter was removed after the 2009 season.
Early into the 2008 season, the Brewers also added a sponsored strikeout counter to the tier of the second deck of the right field bleachers, which illuminates a K when a Brewers' pitcher notches a strikeout and keeps track of how many strikeouts as a team the Brewers have. Prior to this addition, Bernie Brewer would hang strikeout K's from the railing of his club house, including backwards K's to denote a called strike three.
In 2009, Miller Park's outfield was replaced with "Lo-Mo" Kentucky bluegrass just like the infield was the prior year. The new turf, common in other ballparks around baseball, is denser and has a sand base, instead of the sand and clay mix under the original grass. The turf yields truer hops and fewer instances in which the baseball skips under an outfielder's glove than the previous turf. Also for the 2009 season, the Harley-Davidson
Deck was opened on the field level of the stadium in left-center field.
During the off-season between 2010 and 2011, the stadium's original centerfield scoreboard (a smaller videoboard atop a larger black and amber message display board) was replaced by a full length and full color Daktronics
1080p
high definition display board which is the fourth-largest screen among current MLB stadiums, along with a public address/sound system upgrade.
conducted fan surveys that rated Miller Park the best ballpark based on value per dollar spent. Although attendance dropped after the 2001 opening season to a low of 20,993 per game in 2003, attendance rebounded in subsequent seasons. In 2008, the Brewers set a franchise record for attendance with over 3,000,000. This was 9th among 30 major league teams, despite Milwaukee being one of the smallest markets in baseball.
An upscale lounge, the "Gehl Club", located next to the "NYCE Club," opened in 2007.
and owner Bud Selig
had first pitch honors for the stadium. The park hosted the 2002 MLB All-Star Game
, which ended infamously in a tie. It was also a major filming location for the motion picture Mr. 3000
, which centered on a fictional Brewers player.
In April 2007, snow storms in northern Ohio caused the Cleveland Indians
to postpone their home opening series
against the Seattle Mariners
and forced the Indians to find a different location for their home series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
. Major League Baseball took advantage of Miller Park's roof and moved the Indians-Angels series to Milwaukee. All seats were sold for $10 apiece, and attendance was 52,496 for the three games. The series was a reminder to many of the 1989 film Major League
, which featured scenes filmed in Milwaukee County Stadium, though the film was about a fictionalized Cleveland Indians team. The first game of the series was played on the same day that the film's "Wild Thing Edition" was released on DVD. When Joe Borowski came to close
for the Indians, the song "Wild Thing" was played over the PA system, in an homage to the film. Also, the Indians' mascot Slider slid down Bernie Brewer's slide following Indians home runs. These games were the first to be played under American League
rules in Milwaukee since 1997 (the Brewers' final season in the AL), and have been the only games played under AL rules in Miller Park.
Hurricane Ike
's landfall in Houston forced the Chicago Cubs
and Houston Astros
to play a two-game series at Miller Park on Sunday, September 14 and Monday, September 15, 2008. The park became the first neutral site in Major League
history to host a no-hitter
, when Carlos Zambrano
of the Chicago Cubs threw the first no-hitter in the history of the park against the Houston Astros on Sunday, September 14, 2008. The next day, his teammate Ted Lilly
, took a no-hitter into the 7th inning.
Masters finals on Sunday, October 28, 2007. The playing surface was fitted with four bowling lanes for the tournament.
, Willie Nelson
, Neil Young
, John Mellencamp
and many others headlined Farm Aid
’s 25th Anniversary concert on October 2, 2010 here, the first time the charity event was held at a major league stadium.
. Recent expansions and relocation in the UFL have shown a preference for media markets
where the National Football League
does not operate a team.
However, the Brewers maintain that Miller Park was not built with the intention of also fielding a football team, though the stadium in the early 90's was planned to have a football layout before the Packers decided to play in Green Bay full-time after the 1994 season and subsequent redesigns as a baseball-only facility.
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. It is home to the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and was completed in 2001 as a replacement for Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events...
. The park is located just southwest of the intersection of I-94
Interstate 94 in Wisconsin
In the U.S. state of Wisconsin, Interstate 94 runs east–west through the western, central and southeastern portions of the state.-Route description:A total of of Interstate 94 lie in Wisconsin....
, US-41
U.S. Route 41 in Wisconsin
In the U.S. state of Wisconsin, U.S. Highway 41 runs north–south the eastern side of the state. It enters from Illinois at Pleasant Prairie, and runs north to its northern terminus at the Michigan border at Marinette, WI.-Route description:US-41 is a freeway for nearly 70% of its route...
, and Miller Park Way (WIS-341). The title sponsor is the Miller Brewing Company
Miller Brewing Company
The Miller Brewing Company is an American beer brewing company owned by the United Kingdom-based SABMiller. Its regional headquarters are located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the company has brewing facilities in Albany, Georgia; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Eden, North Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas;...
. Miller's contract with the stadium was for $40 million, and runs until 2020.
Miller park features North America's only fan-shaped convertible roof, which can open and close in less than 10 minutes. Large panes of glass allow natural grass to grow.
Construction
Miller Park is one of the largest construction projects in Wisconsin history. It was built with $United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
290 million of public funds from a 0.1% sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
that began January 1, 1996, and is scheduled for retirement upon completion, sometime around 2017. The tax is applied on purchases in Milwaukee County and four surrounding counties: Ozaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha. The tax was controversial, in part because of the notion of using public funds for a privately owned sports team. The state senator
Wisconsin State Senate
The Wisconsin Senate, the powers of which are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly...
who cast the deciding vote in the funding bill, George Petak
George Petak
George Petak is a Republican Wisconsin politician.Born in Warren, Ohio, Petak graduated from Kent State University. He moved to Racine, Wisconsin, where he was a quality control manager. Petak was elected to the Racine School Board. In 1990, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate...
of Racine
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
, lost a recall election
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
based on his vote for the stadium.
Groundbreaking took place on November 9, 1996, in a parking lot behind County Stadium. The ballpark was originally scheduled to open in 2000. Construction was delayed after three construction workers were killed in an accident. The massive Lampson
Lampson International
Lampson International is a crane manufacturer located in Kennewick, Washington established in 1946 by Neil F. Lampson. Lampson operates one of the largest crane fleets in the United States with a fleet including Heavy Lift Cranes with capacities from 100 tons to 750 tons and Heavy Lift Transi-Lift...
Transi-lift crane 3 (nicknamed "Big Blue"
Big Blue (crane)
-Profile:* Started at Miller Park: October 2, 1998* Height: 467 feet* Weight: 3,100 tons* Lifting Capacity: 1,500 tons* Counterweights: 2,150 tons* Cables: 40,000 feet* Operators: Four* Cost to Build: $10 million* Assembly Time: Six weeks...
), brought in to build the roof, collapsed while lifting a 400-ton roof section, during windy conditions, on July 14, 1999. A camera crew was filming construction of the stadium on that day and captured the collapse on video as it occurred. The stadium did not open until Opening Day 2001.
The stadium has a retractable roof, built in a unique convertible style, with the roof panels opening and closing simultaneously in a sweeping manner from the first- and third-base sides toward center field. The complex and massive roof was a significant factor in the $392 million cost of the stadium. It allows the seating area to be heated 30 degrees warmer than the outside temperature when closed, allowing games to be played in inclement weather and in more comfortable conditions than an open air stadium.
NBBJ
NBBJ is a global architecture, planning and design firm with offices in Beijing, Boston, Columbus, Dubai, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Shanghai....
, who worked closely with a Los Angeles-based team of engineers Arup
Arup
Arup is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom which provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. The firm is present in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, East Asia, Europe and the...
, who were responsible for all stages of the structural and building services engineering design for the stadium, with the exception of the mechanical mechanisms that move the roof structure. The original versions of these mechanisms were designed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America as part of a design and build contract, but they have now been replaced by new designs after their failure. The executive architect responsible for the delivery of the final stadium design was a Dallas-based team of HKS, Inc.
HKS, Inc.
HKS, Inc. is an international architecture firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas . It was founded in 1939 by Harwood K. Smith, a native of Chicago and graduate of Texas A&M University....
In addition to these major players there were a significant contributions from local teams including Eppstein Uhen architects.
The stadium design followed the trend of retro-designed ballparks with current amenities that began in 1992 with Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a Major League Baseball ballpark located in Baltimore, Maryland. Home field of the Baltimore Orioles, it is the first of the "retro" major league ballparks constructed during the 1990s and early 2000s, and remains one of the most highly praised. The park was...
in Baltimore, Maryland.
The original grass playing surface was installed on March 10, 2001.
Structural challenges
The unconventional fanFan (implement)
A hand-held fan is an implement used to induce an airflow for the purpose of cooling or refreshing oneself. Any broad, flat surface waved back-and-forth will create a small airflow and therefore can be considered a rudimentary fan...
-shaped roof
Retractable roof
A retractable roof is a kinetic architectural element used in many sports venues, in which a roof made of a suitable material can readily be mechanically deployed from some retracted or open position into a closed or extended position that completely covers the field of play and spectator areas...
has not been without complications. Major elements of the pivot system behind home plate and the outfield roof track have been replaced. Even after the crane incident.
At the end of the 2006 season, the roof's bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
system was replaced at a cost of over $13 million. The 10 new, 24-feet-(7.3 m)-long, 60 hp bogies were paid for with money from the settlement between the stadium district and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
. Six of the bogies weigh 66 tons apiece, while the four others weigh 49 tons. The work was completed by lifting sections of the roof approximately six inches with hydraulic lifts, while a 300-ton crane replaced the bogies individually. "The bogies will last for the life of the facility," said Mike Duckett, executive director of the Miller Park stadium district. The project was completed by the start of the 2007 season.
Additions
In time for the 2006 season there were three additions to the stadium. Two sets of LED scoreboards were added. One replaced the formerly manually-operated "out of town" scoreboards along the left and right field walls with a new set of LEDLEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
scoreboards along the left-field wall. The new "out of town" scoreboards show continually updated information about other Major League games, including the score, hits, errors, outs, and an image of the field displaying the runners on base. A second-tier marquee scoreboard was also added along the bottom of the 300-level of the stadium stretching from foul pole to home plate to foul pole. The section of the second-tier scoreboard above home plate displays statistics for those unable to see the main scoreboard above the center-field wall. All of the scoreboards were designed, manufactured and installed by Daktronics
Daktronics
Daktronics is an American company based in Brookings, South Dakota that designs, manufactures, sells, and services video board, scoreboards, digital billboards and related products. The company is best known for its electronic LED displays...
, a company in Brookings, South Dakota
Brookings, South Dakota
Brookings is a city in Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. Brookings is the fourth largest city in South Dakota, with a population of 22,056 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brookings County, and home to South Dakota State University, the largest institution of higher...
. The final addition to Miller Park for the 2006 season was the addition of a field-level picnic area in the corner of right-field. The picnic area has a capacity of 75 and provides a place for fans to watch the game in a leisurely setting and be within feet of the right-fielder. Known first as the Mercedes-Benz Field Haus, the picnic area's name was changed to AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
Landing Zone in 2009.
Citgo
CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a United States-incorporated, Venezuela-owned refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de...
, whose name could be seen as a play on words for a home run (C-It-Go). The counter kept track of the home runs hit by the Brewers during the season and when a home run was hit, the player's name was shown on the display as well as the distance of the home run. The Citgo home run counter was removed after the 2009 season.
Early into the 2008 season, the Brewers also added a sponsored strikeout counter to the tier of the second deck of the right field bleachers, which illuminates a K when a Brewers' pitcher notches a strikeout and keeps track of how many strikeouts as a team the Brewers have. Prior to this addition, Bernie Brewer would hang strikeout K's from the railing of his club house, including backwards K's to denote a called strike three.
In 2009, Miller Park's outfield was replaced with "Lo-Mo" Kentucky bluegrass just like the infield was the prior year. The new turf, common in other ballparks around baseball, is denser and has a sand base, instead of the sand and clay mix under the original grass. The turf yields truer hops and fewer instances in which the baseball skips under an outfielder's glove than the previous turf. Also for the 2009 season, the Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
Deck was opened on the field level of the stadium in left-center field.
During the off-season between 2010 and 2011, the stadium's original centerfield scoreboard (a smaller videoboard atop a larger black and amber message display board) was replaced by a full length and full color Daktronics
Daktronics
Daktronics is an American company based in Brookings, South Dakota that designs, manufactures, sells, and services video board, scoreboards, digital billboards and related products. The company is best known for its electronic LED displays...
1080p
1080p
1080p is the shorthand identification for a set of HDTV high-definition video modes that are characterized by 1080 horizontal lines of resolution and progressive scan, meaning the image is not interlaced as is the case with the 1080i display standard....
high definition display board which is the fourth-largest screen among current MLB stadiums, along with a public address/sound system upgrade.
Popularity and attendance
In 2005, Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
conducted fan surveys that rated Miller Park the best ballpark based on value per dollar spent. Although attendance dropped after the 2001 opening season to a low of 20,993 per game in 2003, attendance rebounded in subsequent seasons. In 2008, the Brewers set a franchise record for attendance with over 3,000,000. This was 9th among 30 major league teams, despite Milwaukee being one of the smallest markets in baseball.
An upscale lounge, the "Gehl Club", located next to the "NYCE Club," opened in 2007.
Attractions
- The Klement's Sausage RaceSausage RaceThe Sausage Race is a race of sausage mascots held before the bottom of the sixth inning at every home game of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Sausage Race is a promotion for the Klement's Sausage Company, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whose sausages are served at Miller Park, the home of the Brewers...
occurs during each game in the middle of the 6th inning; it was moved from the bottom of the 6th inning to enable the sausages to create more excitement for the fans as the Brewers prepared to bat. The current "racing sausages" are the bratwurstBratwurstA bratwurst is a sausage usually composed of veal, pork or beef. The plural in German is Bratwürste....
, the ItalianItalian sausageIn the United States, Italian sausage most often refers to a style of pork sausage noted for being seasoned with fennel and/or anise as the primary seasoning...
, the chorizoChorizoChorizo is a term encompassing several types of pork sausages originating from the Iberian Peninsula.In English, it is usually pronounced , , or , but sometimes ....
, the Polish, and the hot dogHot dogA hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
. The Chorizo sausage (to salute the region's growing LatinoLatinoThe demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
population) was added on July 29, 2006 for one race, and became a full-time participant in 2007.
- Bernie BrewerBernie BrewerBernie Brewer is the official mascot for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team.In late June 1970, when the Brewers were still a new team and having difficulty drawing spectators to their games at Milwaukee County Stadium, Milt Mason, a 69-year-old fan decided to sit atop top the scoreboard until the...
, the team mascot, has a club house above the left field seats. Following every Brewers home run and victory, Bernie Brewer makes a splash in the new "Kalahari Splash Zone" area, which sends an explosion of water into the air. The feature can be adjusted to send more water into the air, giving fans seated below an experience similar to attractions at the Kalahari Resorts in the Wisconsin DellsWisconsin Dells, WisconsinWisconsin Dells is a city in south-central Wisconsin, with a population of 2,418 as of the 2000 census. It straddles four counties: Adams, Columbia, Juneau, and Sauk. The city takes its name from the dells of the Wisconsin River, a scenic, glacially formed gorge that features striking sandstone...
. This is different from his old home at Milwaukee County StadiumMilwaukee County StadiumMilwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events...
, where Bernie slid into a giant mug of beer in center field which had been sponsored over the years by PabstPabst Blue RibbonPabst Blue Ribbon is a brand of beer sold by Pabst Brewing Company, originally established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but now based in Los Angeles. Pabst Blue Ribbon is contract-brewed in six different breweries around the U.S...
, Miller, and Sentry FoodsSentry FoodsSentry Foods is a grocery store chain operating in Wisconsin.Sentry Foods stores got their start in the Milwaukee area in the 1960s, being operated and supplied by the Godfrey family. In the mid-1980s, Fleming Companies, Inc., at the time a major wholesaler, bought the majority of the stores and...
. During the home run celebration, a short burst of fireworks is shot out from the top of the center field scoreboard, and above Bernie's club house, the call words of Brewers' radio announcer Bob UeckerBob UeckerRobert George "Bob" Uecker is an American former Major League Baseball player, later a sportscaster, comedian, and actor. Uecker was given the title of "Mr. Baseball" by Johnny Carson...
are illuminated, "Get Up, Get Up, Get Outta Here, Gone!"
- During the seventh inning stretch, in addition to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", fans at Miller Park sing "Roll Out the Barrel", in salute to Milwaukee's beer-making history.
Baseball
On opening day in April 2001, President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and owner Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
had first pitch honors for the stadium. The park hosted the 2002 MLB All-Star Game
2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 73rd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues that make up Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 9, 2002 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the home of...
, which ended infamously in a tie. It was also a major filming location for the motion picture Mr. 3000
Mr. 3000
Mr. 3000 is a 2004 American sports comedy film starring Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett. The film's plot surrounds a retired Major League Baseball player who makes a comeback at age 47 in order to attain 3,000 hits.-Plot:...
, which centered on a fictional Brewers player.
In April 2007, snow storms in northern Ohio caused the Cleveland Indians
2007 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians' 2007 season saw the Indians win the AL Central title for the first time since 2001 and play for American League title before losing to the Boston Red Sox in seven games....
to postpone their home opening series
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
against the Seattle Mariners
2007 Seattle Mariners season
The Seattle Mariners' 2007 season was their 31st in franchise history, and has started with the Mariners trying to win their first AL West title since they tied the MLB record for wins in a season in the 2001...
and forced the Indians to find a different location for their home series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2007 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2007 season was the franchise's 47th season since inception. The regular season ended with a record of 94–68 and the Angels winning the American League West division title for the sixth time...
. Major League Baseball took advantage of Miller Park's roof and moved the Indians-Angels series to Milwaukee. All seats were sold for $10 apiece, and attendance was 52,496 for the three games. The series was a reminder to many of the 1989 film Major League
Major League (film)
Major League is a 1989 American satire comedy film written and directed by David S. Ward, starring Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes, James Gammon, and Corbin Bernsen. Made for US$11 million, Major League grossed nearly US$50 million in domestic release...
, which featured scenes filmed in Milwaukee County Stadium, though the film was about a fictionalized Cleveland Indians team. The first game of the series was played on the same day that the film's "Wild Thing Edition" was released on DVD. When Joe Borowski came to close
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
for the Indians, the song "Wild Thing" was played over the PA system, in an homage to the film. Also, the Indians' mascot Slider slid down Bernie Brewer's slide following Indians home runs. These games were the first to be played under American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
rules in Milwaukee since 1997 (the Brewers' final season in the AL), and have been the only games played under AL rules in Miller Park.
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
's landfall in Houston forced the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
to play a two-game series at Miller Park on Sunday, September 14 and Monday, September 15, 2008. The park became the first neutral site in Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
history to host a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
, when Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Alberto Zambrano is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. Zambrano, who stands 6' 5" and weighs 260 pounds, was signed by the Cubs as a free agent in 1997 and made his debut in 2001...
of the Chicago Cubs threw the first no-hitter in the history of the park against the Houston Astros on Sunday, September 14, 2008. The next day, his teammate Ted Lilly
Ted Lilly
Theodore Roosevelt "Ted" Lilly III , is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats and throws left-handed...
, took a no-hitter into the 7th inning.
Bowling
Miller Park hosted the 2007 United States Bowling CongressUnited States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress is a sports membership organization dedicated to ten-pin bowling in the United States. It was formed in 2005 by a merger of the American Bowling Congress, Women's International Bowling Congress, Young American Bowling Alliance, and USA Bowling...
Masters finals on Sunday, October 28, 2007. The playing surface was fitted with four bowling lanes for the tournament.
Concerts
Dave MatthewsDave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock that eschews synthesizers and other artificial sounds...
and many others headlined Farm Aid
Farm Aid
Farm Aid started as a benefit concert on September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, held to raise money for family farmers in the United States...
’s 25th Anniversary concert on October 2, 2010 here, the first time the charity event was held at a major league stadium.
Pro football
Miller Park is one of the venues being considered for a United Football League expansion team according to league commissioner Michael Huyghue. The league currently has plans to add two expansion teams per year for the 2011 and 2012 seasons and has expressed desire to place two of those teams in the MidwestMidwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. Recent expansions and relocation in the UFL have shown a preference for media markets
Media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
where the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
does not operate a team.
However, the Brewers maintain that Miller Park was not built with the intention of also fielding a football team, though the stadium in the early 90's was planned to have a football layout before the Packers decided to play in Green Bay full-time after the 1994 season and subsequent redesigns as a baseball-only facility.