March 16, 1987: Greater Milwaukee Committee creates task force to study renovating County Stadium or building a new ballpark.
April, 1988: The GMC's Brewers Task Force recommends the construction of a new stadium with a target completion date of Opening Day, 1992. Also the Task Force narrows the list of prospective sites to four: the Menomonee Valley, Milwaukee County grounds, Oak Creek and downtown near the Summerfest grounds.
May 14, 1989: The GMC's Brewers Task Force formally recommends the Menomonee Valley site for the new ballpark.
February 12, 1990: Brewers President Allan H. (Bud) Selig gives qualified endorsement to a new Highway 41 site. New target date for ballpark's opening is 1994.
July 11, 1992: The Brewers unveil plans for a turn-of-the-century designed ballpark.
September 9, 1992: Allan H. (Bud) Selig is named Chairman of Major League Baseball's Executive Council and turns over the presidency of the Brewers to his daughter, Wendy Selig-Prieb.
January 3, 1994: State Sen. Gary George (D-Milwaukee) proposes building a downtown retractable roof stadium financed primarily with proceeds from a sports lottery.
February 26, 1994: The Brewers host a major press conference at County Stadium making two announcements: 1) A public/private partnership should be utilized to finance a new ballpark; and 2) The new ballpark needs to feature a convertible roof.
March 15, 1994: The State Senate votes 19-14 to allow a statewide referendum to amend the State Constitution to allow new lottery games to help finance sports facilities, including the new ballpark. The State Assembly later votes 53-41 in favor of the referendum.
January 12, 1995: The Brewers make a presentation to the Milwaukee Stadium Commission, in which they commit $60-$90 million to build a new ballpark. In addition, an economic impact report authored by Arthur Andersen & Co. Is presented to the commission in which it is estimated that a convertible-roof stadium will result in 750,000 additional fans per season, $62.6 million in additional annual spending and four-year construction related spending of $169.5 million.
April 4, 1995: By a 2-to-1 count, statewide voters reject creation of a sports lottery to help pay for the new ballpark.
August 19, 1995: The Brewers, Governor Thompson, County Executive Thomas Ament and Mayor Norquist announce an agreement on a Memorandum of Understanding which includes a 30-year lease commitment and an upfront $90 million commitment from the team. Thompson, Norquist and Ament present the public sector financing package, which includes a one-tenth of one percent sales tax and a one percent hotel-motel room tax increase for Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties to finance $160 million of the $250 million stadium cost. The new ballpark is expected to open by 1999.
August 24, 1995: Gov. Thompson embarks on a statewide Harley Ride to promote and build awareness for the new Brewers ballpark. Brewers legend Robin Yount joins the governor on the final leg of the trip.
September 18, 1995: The Select Assembly Committee on the Milwaukee baseball stadium recommends the addition of Washington and Ozaukee Counties to the taxing district.
September 22, 1995: In a measure approved by the legislature's Joint Finance Committee, Racine County is added to the taxing district. In addition, the hotel-motel room tax is eliminated.
September 28, 1995: The State Assembly votes 52-47 to accept the new stadium plan.
October 6, 1995: The State Senate approves the new ballpark package, 16-15, following an all-night session and three votes. Racine Sen. George Petak (R) casts the deciding vote.
October 12, 1995: Gov. Thompson signs legislation providing financing to help build the new ballpark and secure the Brewers' future in Wisconsin. The bill is signed at the County Stadium center field site for the new ballpark. At the event, the Governor also announces a March 17, 1996 groundbreaking date.
November, 1995: Thirteen appointments are made to the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District. The District is chaired by Bob Trunzo and co-chaired by Racinian Craig Leipold, both appointees of Gov. Thompson.
November 16, 1995: The Stadium District Board adopts a five-county sales tax.
November 30, 1995: The two design team finalists in the competition submit their designs for the new ballpark to the Stadium Board. The winning team is HKS Inc. (Dallas), NBBJ (Los Angeles) and Eppstein-Uhen (Milwaukee).
January 1, 1996: The Stadium tax takes effect in Milwaukee, Racine, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha Counties.
January 8, 1996: The Stadium District Board selects construction team headed by the Indianapolis firm of Huber, Hunt & Nichols to build the new ballpark. The consortium includes George Hyman Construction Co. (Chicago) and Hunzinger Construction (Brookfield).
March 21, 1996: The Brewers and Miller Brewing Company announce a 20-year, $41.2 million pact for the naming rights to the new ballpark ... Miller Park.
March 25, 1996: After more than nine hours behind closed doors, the Stadium District Board votes 9-4 to suspend the sales tax on May 1 if the Brewers do not satisfy the Stadium District Board's requirements regarding the club's $90 million commitment to the new ballpark project. A new deadline is set for April 15.
June 4, 1996: State Sen. George Petak (R-Racine), who cast the deciding vote October 6th for the new stadium funding legislation, is defeated in a special recall election by challenger Kim Plache.
June 10, 1996: Consortium of business, labor and public officials announce a new financing plan for Miller Park. The plan features the shifting of the $50 million loan from the Brewers to the Stadium District Board, and eliminates the WHEDA loan.
June 14, 1996: By an 8-5 vote, the stadium board rejects the new proposed financing plan.
June 22, 1996: A crowd estimated at 8,000 to 10,000 attend a "We Love Ya, Bud!" rally (organized by Milwaukee attorney Gerald Boyle), in the County Stadium center field parking lot prior to the Brewers-Angels game, calling for action on construction and to show support for Bud Selig, the former Brewers' president and now commissioner of Major League Baseball. Fans wave signs that read "Build It Now!"
August 15, 1996: The Stadium District Board approves the financing and site plan for Miller Park, contingent on resolving remaining cost issues.
September 23, 1996: The Mitsubishi Corp. offers to lease equipment, including the seats, JumboTron and the moving mechanism for the roof.
October 14, 1996: The Stadium District Board unanimously approves financing, design revisions and lease arrangements for the convertible-roof ballpark to be built in the center field parking lot of County Stadium.
October 21, 1996: Actual digging for Miller Park begins.
November 7, 1996: Miller Park logo is unveiled.
November 9, 1996: Ceremonial groundbreaking takes place.
March 14, 1997: The Brewers announce that Miller park will have an asymmetric design with the following distance: 342 feet down the left field line; 374 feet to the left field power alley; 400 feet to straight-away center field; 378 feet to the fight field power alley; and 356 feet down the fright field line.
March 27, 1997: Drilling the piers into bedrock begins at the Miller Park site. The Edward Gillen Co. will drill 208 holes in an area from behind home plate out to about the dugouts. The holes will extend about six feet into the bedrock and will be filled with steel-reinforced concrete.
July 23, 1997: Construc-tion crews pour concrete for the first of eight outfield foundation supports for Miller Park's convertible roof. The "pile cap" contains 825 cubic yards of concrete, making it one of the biggest such foundations in the state.
September 26, 1997: A gold-plated pile is the last driven into the ground as this phase of construction is completed.
November, 1997: Foundation work nears completion. Construction on the field level and service level begins. Underground plumbing and electrical work continues to advance.
August 17, 1998: International Concrete Products (ICP) of Germantown, Wisconsin begins work on the exterior facade of Miller park.
August 19, 1998: The Lampson Trans-Lift 1500 Series crane is built at the Miller Park site. Known as the "Mother of All Cranes," it measures 467-feet and is one of six in use in the world. The crane will make 31 "picks" of steel in the building of Miller Park's seven panel, 12,000-ton convertible roof which will span 600 feet.
October 1, 1998: Iron workers erect two large sections of the roof support columns. They are lifted into place by "Big Blue," the Lampson Trans-lift crane.
January 8, 1999: Despite a 17-day postponement because of wintry weather, the first section of Miller Park's roof is lifted into place by "Big Blue," the Lampson trans-lift crane. The section measures 260 feet long, 100 feet wide and 13 feet high. The roof piece's weight equals that of a 747 jetliner.
April 16, 1999: The Milwaukee Brewers play their final home opener at County Stadium, losing 9-4 to the Chicago Cubs before 55, 770 fans: the second largest regular season crowd in club history.
July 14, 1999: Three workmen are killed when the Lampson "Big Blue" crane collapses attempting to position a 400-ton right field roof panel. The workmen were observing and directing a pick from a hoist bucket.
August 7, 1999: Brandenburg Industrial Service Co., a Chicago demolition contractor, begins clearing debris from the Miller Park accident under a six-week, $1.87 million contract. Damage to the stadium is estimated at $100 million.
September 8, 1999: The Milwaukee Brewers announce that Miller Park will not open as scheduled in April 2000 because of the July roof accident.
September 22, 1999: Van Seumeren Holland BV, a Dutch firm with offices in Houston is selected by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as the new crane company for Miller Park, replacing Lampson, Inc.
September 30, 1999: The Milwaukee Brewers and the State of Wisconsin are chosen as the hosts of the 73rd All-Star Game to be played July 9, 2002 at Miller Park.
January 12, 2000: The federal Occupational Safety and health Administration issues 20 citations for safety violations against three construction companies involved in the fatal Miller Park crane accident. OSHA levies fines of $539,800 and cites high winds and overloaded weight as the cause of the accident that took the lives of three ironworkers.
January 21, 2000: The first roof lift since the fatal Big Blue crane accident last July takes place on a clear, but bitter cold afternoon.
March 10, 2000: The first Miller Park sign: "The Hot Corner": is placed on the third base side in the left field corner.
July 7, 2000: The first lockers are installed in the Milwaukee Brewers clubhouse at Miller Park.
July 13, 2000: On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Miller Park crane accident, a 327-ton section of the roof: the heaviest piece since roof construction resumed in January: is lifted into place on the third base side by the Demag crane. It is also the seventh and last piece of the roof panel to be positioned.
August 18, 2000: Workmen at Miller Park begin installing the new centerfield scoreboard. It measures 76 feet by 32 feet and will assemble in six panels. A video replay board, measuring 48 feet by 27 feet, will be installed above the scoreboard later this year.
September 28, 2000: As part of the closing ceremony for County Stadium, the Miller Park sign above the main entrance is illuminated with a fireworks display and search lights criss-crossing the sky. The 2001 schedule also is released. Opening Day at Miller Park is scheduled for Friday, April 6 at 7:05 p.m. against the Cincinnati Reds.
October 16, 2000: The final piece of the Miller Park convertible roof is lifted in place. The 269-ton section on the right-field side is the 40th roof piece positioned since the "picks" began Jan. 8, 1999.
October 19, 2000: Only three days after the final roof piece is secured on the right field side, the Miller Park convertible roof successfully completes its first moving test. Driven by two 60-horsepower electric motors, a 600-foot long panel on the third base side moves five feet.
December 1, 2000: Widows of construction workers killed in crane accident are awarded $99 million in damages.
December 20, 2000: Insurance payments from Chubb Group of Insurance Co. to cover the ³Big Blue² accident repairs reach $79 million.
January 4, 2001: Drainage system installation work begins in the infield under an inflatable tent.
January 21, 2001: The SACO Smartvision LED replay board is installed. The 48-foot by 37-foot color replay screen contains 1.3 million light-emitting diodes, adaptable to new HDTV technology. The replay board complements the 76-foot by 32-foot matrix scoreboard.
January 23, 2001: The infield clay and dirt is shaped, giving a footprint of what the playing field will look like once grass is planted in February. The infield is made up of 340 tons of clay topped by 300 tons of dirt brought over from County Stadium.
January 25, 2001: The fifth and final movable roof panel passes its test.
February 21, 2001: The final piece of Milwaukee County Stadium's upper deck is pulled down by a crew from Midwest Rail and Dismantling. An emotional Bud Selig arrives at the demolition site just as the dust clears "just to say goodbye."
March 10, 2001: Workers lay the first roll of sod in left field as round-the-clock construction continues to get Miller Park ready for the exhibition game against the Chicago White Sox.
Chronology sources: Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club and The Associated Press