The Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District along with the Milwaukee Brewers and local sponsors are adding to American Family Field’s amenities, including a new public plaza, playground and several new projects aimed at winterizing the stadium.

As part of its efforts to continue upgrading and amenitizing its facilities, the Brewers this season will open a new outdoor public plaza, dubbed UW Credit Union Plaza, along the southeast side of the stadium’s exterior behind center field.

UW Credit Union Plaza will be open to the public on game days beginning in June 2026. Its first phase will include a Wisconsin-themed mini golf area, children’s playground, beer garden and a performance stage that will host pregame entertainment and live music throughout the season. Phase two, opening by 2027 Opening Day, will include fixed concessions and other attractions. Beverage service will be available on the plaza, and for select games, food trucks and other vendors will offer light food options.

“It’s really designed for fans who are looking for a great space pregame to bring their kids, bring their families, have a social environment,” Rick Schlesinger, Brewers president of business operations, said during a press conference Wednesday as part of the team’s preview week leading up to the season home opener, set for Thursday, March 26 against the Chicago White Sox.

Schlesinger added that the new plaza was created partly in response to a slight decline in the number of people tailgating prior to home games and fans asking for additional pregame activities at the ballpark, especially in warm weather.

“We did a lot of research and this project’s going to be, I think, a huge hit with our fans, and again, it’s open to the public … and the attractions will be free,” he said.

“In Wisconsin, game day is more than the innings we watch from the stands; it’s often a full-day event,” said Paul Kundert, president and CEO of Madison-based UW Credit Union, which has been the presenting sponsor of Milwaukee Brewers baseball since 2021. “This gathering space is designed to create a more connected, immersive ballpark experience that honors the club’s Wisconsin roots. It may have our name on it, but it belongs to the fans.”

Milwaukee-based architecture firm TKWA has led the design of the plaza.

The Glove Playground

Another project the Brewers are debuting this season is the newly expanded and reimagined play area on the right-field concourse, now formally known as The Glove Playground. The area has long been a popular game day stop for families and now, with sponsorship by Aurora Health Care, has been upgraded with new interactive games, including an interactive sausage race game, a new slide, and the same iconic giant glove fans already know and love.

“It’s one of the few places in Major League Baseball where the kids area has direct views of the field, so it’s a great place for parents who want to keep an eye on the kids but also keep an eye on what’s going on the field,” said Schlesinger.

He said the space had naturally gotten worn down over the past few years and needed a complete overhaul. Fans were noticing, too.

“We listen to the fans, and the fans tell us very clearly what they like about things we’ve done and what they like us to change and what things they like us to put in. So, from fan feedback, we thought it was time to update the space,” he said.

Paying close attention to fan feedback and ever-evolving fan expectations helps guide the Brewers in their continuous efforts to keep the stadium fresh and new – and to bring fans in the door. Schlesinger acknowledged the hardcore baseball fans who prefer to stay in their seats the entire game, focused on every pitch. But there are many fans, especially families and younger generations who want more out of the game experience.

“We’re just trying to make the place accessible, genuine, exciting, and fresh for everybody, and the more people that come, they’re becoming Brewers fans, they’re buying season tickets, they’re buying concessions, they’re helping the bottom line, they’re cheering on the team,” he said. “We love full stadiums. The players love full stadiums, so when we have the types of investments in this ballpark, it attracts fans, and we have robust attendance goals for this year.”

Stadium winterization

The team and stadium district are also moving forward on their efforts to winterize American Family Field. Construction is slated to begin this year to outfit the ballpark with facilities to be used in the winter months to host large scale events like concerts, sporting events, rodeos and more. Improvements to the retractable roof, the addition of air handling units, improved electrical distribution and updated controls will be part of the effort to utilize the stadium through the winter season.

Thus far, the district estimates the winterization project will cost $26 million of its $500 million in public funding under its new 2050 lease, according to documents from Monday’s stadium district meeting.

The district has selected Milwaukee-based JP Cullen to oversee the stadium’s winterization projects.

The budget for winterization was prepared five years ago and “construction costs have escalated, certainly a lot higher than the normal inflation rate,” Schlesinger said.

Schlesinger assured today’s press conference attendees that the winterization is happening, and that the team is excited about the potential for events in the winter. Events could include monster truck shows, rodeos, wrestling, college basketball, professional basketball and hockey.

“Winterization’s a high priority for us, and we are very pleased with the progress that the district is making in moving that project forward,” he said.

The timeline, though unspecified, remains steady for winterization. Many of the projects can be completed during the Brewers’ season, mitigating construction delays due to seasonal game day traffic. The team is not concerned with minor delays given the scale and complexity of the project.

“We’re talking about something that’s going to be in process for 20-plus years,” Schlesinger said. “If it’s a few months delayed from original schedule, I don’t view that as a tragedy. I’d rather have it done efficiently and in the most cost-effective way we can.”

BizTimes’ associate editor Maredithe Meyer contributed to this report.