Madison officials and the operator of Breese Stevens Field are considering an $8 million overhaul of the historic stadium, including a permanent concert stage and a new 21-year operating agreement that could allow up to 20 concerts annually by 2030. The proposal, presented at a public meeting Wednesday, is intended to prepare the city-owned venue for more sporting events, concerts and community programming while preserving the facility, which marked its 100th anniversary this year. Big Top Events, the Madison company that operates the stadium and runs Forward Madison and Rally Madison, would finance most of the improvements. The city would own the upgrades once they are completed. Planned work includes a permanent stage that could be converted into seating for sporting events, an artists’ green room, event-support space, a permanent locker room, new concession facilities, stormwater improvements and changes to the stadium’s east end. Those changes are intended in part to move bus parking off Mifflin Street. Under the proposed agreement, the city would continue to set per-ticket fees, while Big Top would assume additional maintenance responsibilities. Concerts would still have to end by 10 p.m. and comply with existing noise limits and reporting requirements. The number of concerts permitted on school nights would increase from three to five per year. The city expects to spend about $500,000 on capital improvements at the stadium over the next three years. Big Top could receive roughly $2.5 million in capital-improvement credits for projects with clear public uses. Big Top owner Conor Caloia said the improvements are needed as the stadium’s schedule and attendance have grown. By the end of 2026, he said, the venue is expected to host 20 men’s soccer matches, seven women’s soccer matches, four national touring concerts, eight special events and 10 ultimate Frisbee games. Overall, the stadium could see about 200 uses and 160,000 visitors this year, compared with roughly 30 events and 8,000 users in 2015, before Big Top took over operations. Caloia said temporary stages make concerts expensive to produce and leave the venue without some backstage amenities expected by touring performers, including running water. He also said newer amphitheaters in Grand Rapids, the Twin Cities and Kansas City have increased competition for touring shows. “We see this as a community venue,” Caloia said, describing possible summer programming that could include theater, ballet and symphonies. “This is a public park, and we want to use it in a variety of different ways.” Parks Superintendent Eric Knepp said the stadium’s existing locker rooms, particularly those used by women’s sports, are undersized and do not meet modern standards. Caloia said a permanent stage could also improve sound control. A preliminary study commissioned by Big Top indicated that the stage could contain sound better than the temporary setups currently used, he said. For some neighbors, however, more concerts raise concerns about quality of life in the Marquette and Tenney-Lapham neighborhoods. Residents described music that already carries into nearby homes, cars blocking driveways and traffic problems during events. Linda, a Marquette resident who called into the meeting, said concert music has been louder than she is comfortable playing at home because of the effect on neighbors. Carol Lee said vehicles have blocked driveways, at times keeping residents from leaving for work, and that she has requested towing about 20 times. Mark Richner urged the city and Big Top to work with residents on a traffic plan. He said the venue’s events are valuable but argued that 20 concerts would be excessive without dedicated parking or a plan to address neighborhood impacts. “I appreciate having sporting events and concerts nearby,” Richner said. “However, there must be moderation. It needs to be stable and sustainable.” City traffic engineer Tom Mohr said officials will consider possible changes to neighborhood parking permits as Madison studies curb management citywide. Big Top also wants to meet with city staff and residents to discuss traffic patterns and reduce unsafe turnarounds by drivers, Caloia said. Residents also questioned whether the city would receive a fair financial return from the proposed long-term agreement. Chris Hovel of the Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood Association said the city should negotiate aggressively given Big Top’s expected revenues. Parks officials said the agreement must provide Big Top with enough revenue to recover its investment. Assistant Parks Superintendent CJ Ryan said an $8 million private investment requires a way for the company to pay off the cost over time. Knepp said he had reviewed Big Top’s audited financial statements and cautioned that revenue figures alone do not show the company’s profitability. Running soccer teams, he said, is expensive and not especially lucrative. Ald. Davy Mayer, who represents the area, said he plans to arrange another meeting so residents can continue raising concerns. The city and Big Top expect to seek approval for the updated agreement this fall, with construction potentially beginning next year.