Crane Accident Could Delay Park’s Opening
The tragic crane collapse at Miller Park in Milwaukee could significantly delay next April’s scheduled opening of the Brewers’ new stadium--perhaps for half a season or more, some baseball officials are speculating.
“There are a lot of questions and not any answers,” club President Wendy Selig-Prieb said by phone. “It’s way too early. All our efforts, attention and thoughts are with the families of the three people who were killed.”
The human loss, of course, outweighs any other ramifications, of which there are many--primarily financial. The supervising stadium board had previously purchased an insurance policy to pay the Brewers in the event some or all Miller Park games are missed next season, with a maximum payout of $20 million, but the Brewers, anticipating a significant revenue increase in the new facility, have already committed $33 million in salary to 11 players next year and estimated the overall payroll would jump from about $37 million to almost $50 million.
The club’s 1999 marketing campaign has been built around a last season in County Stadium, and many people bought season tickets this year to get priority seating in Miller Park. Would refunds be necessary? Would there have to be needed improvements at County Stadium, if the team had to play a significant portion of the 2000 season there--improvements that weren’t made this year?
General Manager Sal Bando said his immediate reaction is that he doesn’t anticipate that any revenue shortfall caused by a Miller Park delay would hamper his efforts to re-sign Hideo Nomo and all-star David Nilsson or to sign first-round draft pick Ben Sheets.
It could, however, limit the Brewers’ ability to sign high-priced free agents during the off-season--the lost revenue, coupled with the prospect of playing another year in County Stadium, prompting star players to look elsewhere.
All of that, Selig-Prieb said, will be sorted out in time.
She received news of the accident Wednesday shortly after returning to her office from the All-Star game at Boston’s Fenway Park, where the pregame ceremony was “as good as it gets” and Brewer Jeromy Burnitz had reached the finals of the home run contest before delivering the only extra-base hit and scoring the only National League run in the game itself.
“One minute you’re on a high, the next rock bottom,” she said. “Life is so fragile and can change so quickly. Our hearts are with the three families.”
The Dodgers have taken their licks on and off the field. They were fined $200,000 recently for their illegal scouting and signing of two Cuban players, and it turns out that they were fined $15,000 for the trade in which Dave Mlicki and Mel Rojas were sent to the Detroit Tigers for three minor league pitchers.
The Dodgers, in sending Rojas to Detroit, agreed to pick up $4.3 million of his $4.5-million 1999 contract, but were fined because they failed to first receive permission from the commissioner’s office, which is required in any trade in which a team retains responsibility for more than $1 million.
How expensive was Rojas? Well, the Dodgers had also sent the New York Mets $1 million and Bobby Bonilla to acquire him, meaning he cost the club $5,315,000 overall, a hefty tab for a guy with a 12.60 earned-run average who pitched a total of five innings.