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FACT BRIEF

Does the Wisconsin Legislature's plan for the Milwaukee Brewers stadium include any state tax increases?

By Tom Kertscher
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NO

Wisconsin taxes won't increase to pay for improvements to American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, under newly approved legislation.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said Nov. 14, 2023, he would sign the stadium legislation, the day it was approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature.

The legislation is expected to keep the baseball team in Milwaukee through 2050.

Wisconsin income taxes paid by Brewers players and visiting team players are estimated at $630.5 million during that period and would more than cover the state contribution.

These would be the contributions under the bill:

State: $386.5 million (minus $20.7 million from a new ticket surcharge for non-baseball events at the park)

Brewers: $110 million

City of Milwaukee: $67.5 million

Milwaukee County: $67.5 million

The Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District (64%) and the Brewers (36%) own the stadium. A five-county district sales tax financed the stadium construction.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Wisconsin State Legislature Senate Changes to Assembly Bills 438 and 439, as Passed by the Joint Committee on Finance
AP News Wisconsin state Senate approves downsized Milwaukee Brewers stadium repair bill
Wisconsin Watch Do visiting professional baseball players pay Wisconsin income taxes on the money they earn playing at the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium?
Google Docs MLB-Related Individual Income and Sales Tax Revenues
WisPolitics Senate passes Brewers bills on bipartisan vote, Assembly agrees to changes
Wisconsin Watch Does Wisconsin own the stadium where the Milwaukee Brewers play?
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.