A/C at Miller Park

[owbc]

I also think A/C in the concourse would be kind of hard as it would just escape and you would waste money. Kind of like putting A/C in the garage. What for. Once you open the door, you are going to lose a lot of it. In the concourse, the door is always open. So I am unsure of the benefit.

 

That's a legitimate concern but I still think it would work.

 

Obviously they couldn't have A/C on the field level concourse because it is open to the field. The terrace concourse only has the small tunnels to the field. It would be easy to close those openings, curtains is one option or they could even add doors (although doors might violate the fire code).

 

I think it is not a big deal if A/C leaks through those openings. If it is running constantly, they should have no problem reducing the temperature in the concourse without too much energy loss.

[Nottso]

It seems like the consensus is that A/C is a bad idea because it will not be used very much and will lead to more roof closures.

 

Most agree that having air conditioned concourses (especially in the terrace) would be a nice addition. This might not be possible depending on how the HVAC is set up.

 

Having the ability to open some of the windows above the terrace level would also be a good idea to help move a breeze through the park. It seems like the problem isn't necessarily that it is too hot, but that some areas of the terrace do not experience any air movement.

 

I was one of the Steamfitters on the job, installing HVAC piping & related equipment. The A/C is a standard chilled-water system. All of the piping was sized so that more coils could be added in the future. Iirc, there is already enough chiller capacity to cool the entire place and currently runs as primary/backup.

 

I left 3 days before the big crane went down. It was quite possibly the worst job I ever worked.

[1992casey]

I'm not against the concept of air conditioning, but to be convinced that it'd be a good idea, I'd need to be presented with facts demonstrating that it'd be viable. I definitely think that situations exist that would benefit from air conditioning. One thing I wouldn't want, however, is to have the roof closed simply because there's a possibility of rain and it takes several hours to cool the park just in case.

[rluzinski]

Obviously it was a great business move, but you are talking about saving maybe 3-4 rain outs a year plus a dozen or so games with cold/inclement weather.

 

It's not just the rain outs. There a lot of people 1 hour or so away who wouldn't even bother with going to a weekday game if there was even a 25% of a rain delay. I was one of them. I couldn't even finish the games as it was (Appleton and Green Bay). I don't know if people like me at the time are significant enough in numbers to matter but it is a consideration.

 

As for AC, I have to agree with the majority. While we've all probably gone to games where we would have dies for AC, there probably aren't enough of those kind of games to justify the cost.

[Bombers]

Tyler Barnes was on the news this morning and it almost seemed like the Brewers have acknowledged the issue with the humidity when the roof is closed. For when the roof is open, he did say to treat it like going to the beach and wear a lot of sun screen, bring water with you to the park, and get into the shade. (Either in the concourse or get seats on the west side.)

 

I doubt the Brewers will ever install full A/C in the park, but I think they should install some designated "cool zones" in the concourse.

[Roderick]

Obviously it was a great business move, but you are talking about saving maybe 3-4 rain outs a year plus a dozen or so games with cold/inclement weather.

 

It's not just the rain outs. There a lot of people 1 hour or so away who wouldn't even bother with going to a weekday game if there was even a 25% of a rain delay. I was one of them. I couldn't even finish the games as it was (Appleton and Green Bay). I don't know if people like me at the time are significant enough in numbers to matter but it is a consideration.

 

I'm positive there is more attendance just because there is a roof. I live in Central Wisconsin (3 hour travel) and you see more bus deals, etc for going to the games when they went to the roof. You know there will be a game played.

[trwi7]

I'm all for air conditioning. It's ridiculous that it hasn't been installed yet. I went on an opening day one time when it wasn't any more than 60 degrees outside but it was raining and sold out so we were packed in like sardines and it felt like a sauna.

 

And really, what are designated cool zones going to do? If I'm going to a game, I'm there to watch the game from my seat. I shouldn't have to get up and go to the concourse or a so called designated cool zone to cool down. That's ridiculous. If I have to leave my seat to cool down, I might as well not go at all and just watch from home.

[Bombers]

I'm all for air conditioning. It's ridiculous that it hasn't been installed yet. I went on an opening day one time when it wasn't any more than 60 degrees outside but it was raining and sold out so we were packed in like sardines and it felt like a sauna.

 

And really, what are designated cool zones going to do? If I'm going to a game, I'm there to watch the game from my seat. I shouldn't have to get up and go to the concourse or a so called designated cool zone to cool down. That's ridiculous. If I have to leave my seat to cool down, I might as well not go at all and just watch from home.

 

I would expect gradual steps here. I don't think they will leap to full A/C throughout the stadium. I have 3 kids and when I bring them to the game it would be nice to have some cool zones. Just like every theme park you go to today. Yes for those interested in watching the entire game without leaving their seat, this isn't a solution. But I have gone to many games with my kids (all under 10) and they always want to get up, walk around and visit the kids zone. This would be a pretty practical solution to a decent size group as many families go to games.

[jerichoholicninja]

Anything to create moving air when the roof is closed would be great. Maybe some huge fans behind home plate that they turn off when the visiting team comes up to bat.

[Nottso]

Further a/c could also be used strictly for dehumidification. If it were 90 degrees in the stadium, by the time you brought the temp down to 88, you would have removed a lot of the humidity.

 

I think a lot of you are questioning the value of the roof based on how little it has been needed this year. Think about the years when it has been needed so much that other teams have even had to play here because the weather was so bad early in the season.

 

I also think the players, especially the SP, love the fact that there's never a rain delay or a rain out.

[owbc]

I think almost everyone agrees that an open air ballpark is better than a closed stadium. But very few people will actually attend games when the weather is bad. Even a single rainout can cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. It's also amazing how many Brewers fans drive in from outside of the Milwaukee area.

 

There are some compromises that they could have considered though. I think if they had an extra $100 million to spend, they could have made all 7 roof panels mobile and extended the track beam at MP so that the roof slides completely off the stadium. They could also remove some of the advertising signs in the outfield to give a little more of an open air feel. Safeco field is the best example of what can be done--but it is open air even when the roof is closed.

[1992casey]

Designs that moved the roof panels entirely off the stadium were considered. I don't think cost was a huge factor. The downside was a ballpark shaped like an airplane hangar. The Brewers opted for a ballpark with the aesthetic quality of being shaped like a baseball stadium. That's unique among retractable roof facilities.

[owbc]

Designs that moved the roof panels entirely off the stadium were considered. I don't think cost was a huge factor. The downside was a ballpark shaped like an airplane hangar. The Brewers opted for a ballpark with the aesthetic quality of being shaped like a baseball stadium. That's unique among retractable roof facilities.

 

I agree that a square park would have been bad, but why couldn't the panels have moved off the stadium using the fan shaped design? They kept the biggest 2 panels fixed in place to save money, but it would have been possible to make them mobile and allow them to rotate 15 degrees over the sidewalk instead of over the terrace seats. The moving panels are on pivots. Then only the Uecker seats would have been covered when the roof is open all the way.

[owbc]

Change to the Miller Park roof policy for this week. LINK

 

Because of the oppressive heat and humidity, the Milwaukee Brewers, at least for the remainder of the homestand against the Miami Marlins, have decided to modify their policy on closing the Miller Park roof when it rains.

 

The Brewers told Miller Park stadium district officials that, after consultation with Major League Baseball, the Miami Marlins and the umpires, the roof will be left open as long as possible, even if a light rain shower should develop. That's obviously being done because when it is hot and humid and the roof is closed, it feels like a sauna inside the ballpark.

 

In other words, there will be no effort to close the roof, although the umpires can determine that the rain is falling hard enough to affect the game. In that case, the game will be suspended and the Brewers' grounds crew might use the infield tarp to buy time for the roof operations team to close the roof, allowing the game to resume.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Change to the Miller Park roof policy for this week. LINK

 

Because of the oppressive heat and humidity, the Milwaukee Brewers, at least for the remainder of the homestand against the Miami Marlins, have decided to modify their policy on closing the Miller Park roof when it rains.

 

The Brewers told Miller Park stadium district officials that, after consultation with Major League Baseball, the Miami Marlins and the umpires, the roof will be left open as long as possible, even if a light rain shower should develop. That's obviously being done because when it is hot and humid and the roof is closed, it feels like a sauna inside the ballpark.

 

In other words, there will be no effort to close the roof, although the umpires can determine that the rain is falling hard enough to affect the game. In that case, the game will be suspended and the Brewers' grounds crew might use the infield tarp to buy time for the roof operations team to close the roof, allowing the game to resume.

 

Of course they decided this after they closed the roof last night and it never rained. It was a sauna in there. Horrible decision. At least they learned from it.

[logan82]

http://www.sadanduseless.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/1879.jpg

[owbc]

It makes me wonder who makes their weather decisions. It was obvious that the rain wasn't even going to get close to Milwaukee. Either there was some poor decision making or they are extremely cautious.

[Nottso]

I can understand the caution. If it does rain inside the stadium and then they close the roof, the humidity could quickly approach 100%.

[DHonks]

our payroll would be much lower. I remember hearing it costs over $100,000 to air condition Chase Field for a game in the summer. In Miller Park it would likely be harder since it would be pulling massive amounts of water out of the air. Plus, since Miller Park doesn't seal, it wouldn't be great, although the escaping air would be hot air I guess

[milwaukeesportsfan]

I just want to see them use the tarp. I've never seen it used since the place opened. I wonder if they take care of it or if it's just been sitting there. Might not be 100% waterproof. That would be funny.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I just want to see them use the tarp. I've never seen it used since the place opened. I wonder if they take care of it or if it's just been sitting there. Might not be 100% waterproof. That would be funny.

 

Pretty sure they use it all the time during the offseason. They leave the roof open a lot in the offseason no matter what the weather is.

[1992casey]

I agree that a square park would have been bad, but why couldn't the panels have moved off the stadium using the fan shaped design?

 

My first thought was that by moving the panels off the stadium, you'd benefit from a nice shady area outside of the park. But then it occurred to me that the shade is really beneficial inside of the park on a hot day. It definitely helped us out when we were sitting on the first base side yesterday.

 

When there isn't a game going on, because the roof is generally left open, the tarp is used pretty much like it is in open-air parks.

[1992casey]

Having been at two of the last three games, I can definitely say that had air conditioning been available, I'd have certainly supported closing the roof and using it the past three days.

 

That doesn't mean that I'm convinced that it should be added. However, I'm still open to listening to arguments in favor of its addition.

[Roderick]

The benefits of A/C speak for themselves, here are some possible concerns:

 

-Cost will probably exceed $10 million (possibly several times that), maybe better to spend that on players?

 

I assume the upfront capital equipment costs would be tacked onto the stadium district sales tax entity.

 

It would just be the actual running (and maintenance?) of the A/C costs that would potentially take away from payroll. And if they limit the usage to the extreme days, and if attendance is higher on those hot days because people know there will be a level of A/C in the place, it may almost pay for itself.

[MJLiverock]

I know our office building management sent a memo to all saying that the most one can expect the A/C to cool the building vs. outside is 20 degrees. I am by no means an HVAC guy but I imagine even at 85 degrees inside Miller Park it would still feel pretty warm and I imagine it would take days to get it down 20 from 105. Keeping it cool after packing 40,000 adds to the load as well. My AC has been running almost non stop to keep it below 80 inside and that's with all the shades shut and a couple of bedrooms closed off. I know they said on one of the broadcasts that even if it rained they wouldn't close the roof because it becomes a sauna in there.

 

I wonder how long it takes to cool AZ's field down? I just don't see that installing some super A/C system and running 5 times a year would be worth it to the team.