No joke – it was a balmy 28 degrees when I pulled up outside Miller Park this morning to get a peek at some upgrades to the stadium in advance of the team’s April 1 opener. Hard to imagine how anyone will make it through a game a week from Monday if the weather doesn’t round third soon ... and quickly.
When the Brewers take the field for the first time, though, fans will have a few new stadium areas to enjoy.
The Dew Deck, out above the right field bleachers has gotten a bit of an overhaul with new lighting, new ceilings, flat panel TVs and other upgrades. The most obvious is the 25-foot rock climbing wall that feels even higher thanks to its positioning in the lofty Dew Deck. Up to four climbers can scale the wall at a time.
The deck is open to groups of 25 to 260, but not to individuals. So get your friends or workmates together and call (414) 902-4777 to get ticket details.
Ever so slightly to the east is the new Miller Lite Party Deck with spectacular views from right field. There’s room for 70 with a bar, a buffet counter, TVs and two levels of seating. Call the number above for ticket info. Again, you need a group; you can’t buy a ticket or two.
Up on Club Level, the main area behind home plate has been rebranded the SKYY Lounge and existing concessions have been replaced or remodeled, giving the area a new look.
There are also some new food options, too, including a range of panini – Italian, Cuban and vegetarian – that can be purchased at the Hot Cheese Corner concession in the right field corner.
"People expect new things even though this is a relatively new ballpark," says Brewers Chief Operating Officer Rick Schlesinger. "To keep fans engaged. (Offering) new ways to watch the game and socialize is what we want to do.
"Fans want an all inclusive ticket, so they don't have to keep pulling out their wallets."
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
