Brewers place last beam of renovations at Phoenix’s Maryvale ballpark
Aug 28, 2018, 4:11 AM | Updated: 10:08 am
(Milwaukee Brewers Photo)
(Milwaukee Brewers Photo)
PHOENIX — The Milwaukee Brewers reached another milestone in the renovations of their spring training home.
On Monday, the Brewers, along with representatives from the City of Phoenix, Mortenson and HKS held a “Topping Out” ceremony in honor of placing the final beam at the Maryvale Baseball Park.
“Today, we mark a significant milestone in the renovation and construction progress at Maryvale Baseball Park,” Brewers COO Rick Schlesinger said. “On behalf of the Brewers, I would like to thank Mortenson, the City of Phoenix, HKS, IFG and everybody else who has thus far helped make this project a success.
“The progress is visually stunning and we look forward to the next milestone when we cut the ribbon to open this state-of-the-art facility.”
The beam, which was signed by the group, was set into place on what will be the home clubhouse.
But why is there a tree at the top?
The ceremony dates back to an ancient Scandinavian religious rite when a tree would be placed atop a new building. It was meant to appease tree-dwelling spirits after destruction.
“Mortenson is proud to partner with the Brewers and the City of Phoenix, as well as all HKS and all of our trade partners on this project,” vice president and general manager at Mortenson Ben Goetter said. “The Topping Out is always a rewarding time to acknowledge all of the hard work, as well as recognize the team’s commitment to safety on the project site. We look forward to seeing this ballpark continue to transform into an experience the entire community will enjoy come next spring.”
Renovations for the ballpark, which opened in 1998, first began in March after the Phoenix City Council voted in favor for the construction in November 2017. The plan also keeps the Brewers in Maryvale through 2024. It is the second-longest commitment in the Cactus League.
The club is investing more than $60 million during the construction phase. They have also assumed operation and maintenance of the ballpark. The City of Phoenix agreed to allocate $2 million annually for the next five years, while the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority is contributing $5.7 million.
The renovations are expected to be done by the start of the 2019 Cactus League.
