Miller Park is getting a fresh coat of paint and a fresh coat of outfield turf, too.

While work continued on renovations to the ballpark’s 43 club-level suites and the team’s FanZone store, crews were prepared Tuesday to begin laying down new sod in the outfield. The Brewers already replaced the infield to rave reviews from players, so they opted for the same kind of “Lo-Mo” Kentucky Bluegrass for the outfield.

The old sod was pulled out last week and tons of sand was trucked in to re-level the surface. Additional irrigation was added for the warning track to limit the amount of dust at Miller Park before the new sod was laid. The project will cost the Brewers more than $500,000.

The new surface is the same used in a number of other Major League ballparks, including Wrigley Field and U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.

“[Players] loved the infield,” head groundskeeper Gary Vanden Berg said. “I haven’t heard one bad comment about that. I think the outfield is going to play the same way.”

Meanwhile, construction crews are at work on 43 individual suites and a new group party suite that will have a 2008 Brewers theme — honoring the club that won the National League Wild Card. The team already has suites themed after the world champion ’57 Milwaukee Braves and the American League champion ’82 Brewers.

Miller Park’s “function rooms,” which are available to rent for meetings, are also getting a facelift along with the main merchandise store, which will be renovated to add sections for caps and women’s apparel to improve flow. From Nov. 1 to about March 1, the store will be relocated to the “Big League Blast” area on the loge level. Fans should still use the left-field “Hot Corner” entrance.

In the individual suites, crews are demolishing closets and a television cubicle to open up space. New flat-screen televisions are being installed along with new carpeting, lighting, paint and furniture.

The $4-$5 million upgrade is the largest single capital improvement project undertaken at Miller Park since it opened in 2001, and is being fully funded by the ballclub. No tax dollars are involved.

There were a number of reasons for the timing, Brewers executive vice president of business operations Rick Schlesinger said.

“Number 1, the suites needed upgrades after this long period of time,” Schlesinger said. “Number 2, since we upgraded the Gehl Club and the Metavante Club [high-end party areas in the left-field corner], you compare it to the suite experience and that experience is diminished. They needed a new décor.

“With the economy being what it is, we’re trying to get every conceivable advantage when we’re negotiating new suite deals or trying to get new suiteholders.”

The Brewers have a prototype suite already finished. Seven are available for full-season lease, though a number of different packages are available.

The 2008 group suite can host up to 48 guests. Pricing and availability will be announced at a later date.

The team also plans to announce season seatholder and single-game ticket prices this week — as early as Wednesday, depending on the timing of the team’s managerial appointment — with what Schlesinger characterized as “modest and appropriate” increases in store.

It certainly helps the team’s sales effort to have won the National League Wild Card in 2008, but at some point Schlesinger does expect to start feeling some of the effects of the sagging U.S. economy.

“We try to be very sensitive to consumers’ concerns, and it’s my experience that the first time we’ll hit it is in suite sales,” Schlesinger said. “The first budgets that are always downsized are hospitality budgets at small and medium-sized companies, and they are the bulk of our suiteholders. A few of our suiteholders have already said they will not renew because of the economy, which is expected, but we have not seen an exodus. The message, in fact, has mostly been the opposite, and there is no doubt that the 2008 experience has been the driver behind that.”

As for ticket prices, Schlesinger said: “I think people are going to be surprised that we are not raising our prices as much as they would expect a team to do after getting to the postseason for the first time in a while.”

The Brewers’ 2008 NL Division Series against the Phillies was their first playoff series since ’82. Along the way, the team set a franchise attendance record, drawing more than three million fans for the first time.

The team’s fiscal year ends Oct. 31, and club officials are in the midst of finalizing budgets for 2009. Schlesinger couldn’t say whether the Brewers’ player payroll would increase or decrease from ’08, when the team opened the year at about $80 million but moved closer to $90 million with the midseason additions of pitcher CC Sabathia and infielder Ray Durham.

Hookscenter.com wire report (McCalvy).