Stadium Upgrades Nearing Completion for Rumble Ponies Opener

Construction crews are working to finish improvement projects at Mirabito Stadium in downtown Binghamton ahead of the season opener for the Rumble Ponies.

Two new scoreboards have been installed at the stadium. The Daktronics electronic displays replaced units that had been less-than-reliable in recent seasons.

A newly-installed scoreboard was being tested at Mirabito Stadium on March 22, 2024. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Rumble Ponies owner David Sobotka said there were "an unbelievable number of problems" with the previous scoreboard displays. The main scoreboard didn't work at all during one game.

In a recent WNBF News interview, Sobotka said he believes fans will be "blown away by the graphics" they'll see on the new video displays.

Although the new scoreboards will be the most obvious change at the Henry Street stadium, the biggest project during the off-season was upgrading the facility's drainage system.

A recently-created concrete pad at the stadium in downtown Binghamton. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Temporary underground water storage tanks were installed at the stadium last month to deal with the aftermath of summer rainstorms. The system is designed to capture water that otherwise would collect on the field and around the dugouts.

On Friday, Sobotka said the work at the stadium is "going well." He said the drainage project is nearing completion. The next job is rebuilding the picnic pavilion.

The Rumble Ponies are scheduled to open the season on April 5 hosting the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

Sobotka said the stadium gate at Fayette and Lewis streets will be closed until asphalt can be put down. He said other than that "we will be in good shape" for opening day.

VIDEO: Watch (and listen) as a reporter provides the wrong date for the Rumble Ponies season opener.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

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