A $60-million Binghamton University ballpark complex won’t open until the 2022 NCAA baseball season, as a lack of acceptable bids and slowdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic forced school officials to adopt a new timeline.
The original plan was for a 2021 opening. With demolition work beginning at the current ballpark, the school will now seek an alternative venue for the upcoming season, perhaps NYSEG Stadium, home of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Class AA; Eastern League).
This fully funded donor project will build an 84,000 square-foot facility to support the baseball team that will include a new grandstand, clubhouse and indoor training facility. It will consist of increased fan seating, locker rooms, batting cages, coaches’ offices, study spaces and an athletic training room. In addition, the facility will meet NCAA requirements for hosting post-season tournament play. The indoor training facility will include a turf baseball infield with a four-story ceiling, providing athletes the ability to practice year-round. From the Binghamton Pipe Dream:
“Things are progressing nicely and construction is on track,” said Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations at BU. “We could not be more excited to see this fully funded donor project come to fruition, as this generous and historic donation will provide Binghamton athletics with a world-class facility for our student-athletes. The first phase of this 17-month project, now underway, will be demolition and utility relocations and installations.”
While ground has yet to be broken, the demolition phase has begun. The tennis courts, which are being demolished to make room for the project’s indoor training facility, have had their nets removed, and the fences surrounding them have been taken down. Additionally, equipment belonging to ZMK Construction is located on the site.
“It’s very exciting to drive into campus or look out my office window and see construction taking place,” said Binghamton baseball head coach Tim Sinicki.
The current Binghamton baseball complex was originally completed in September 2012. Subsequent renovations have been made in the years since, including the addition of a new FieldTurf surface in 2016 and a videoboard in 2017.
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