The Town Council has approved the purchase of a brand-new scoreboard for Beaupre Field.
The council voted 8-1 at its Aug. 14 meeting to approve the spending of $325,000 for the purchase of a new scoreboard as part of the Beaupre Field Complex renovation project.
Councilor Mark Gould was the lone no vote.
According to a quote from the Town Manager’s office, the scoreboard, lights, components and shipping would cost $298,000, which will come from the $5 million used for the renovations of the sports complex.
The scoreboard will be used on the sports field, which is used for a wide variety of games, including football, soccer, lacrosse, and track and field.
Additionally, it will be operated for other events, such as graduation and the Special Olympics and feature static advertisements the proceeds from which will go towards the town.
Council President Justin Pare said while he was initially concerned about the price tag of the scoreboard, he ultimately voted in favor because of revenue from the advertisements and sporting events.
“While the price tag was higher than simpler options, the ability to sell static and video advertisements will allow the scoreboard to pay for itself in a number of years,” Pare said. “That is money well spent on our town’s flagship stadium that our community can be proud of.”
Councilor Dan Donvan said he is excited to see the new scoreboard be bought, but added there is still more work to do on the complex renovations.
“The measure was recommended unanimously by the Finance Subcommittee after being thoroughly vetted at two meetings,” Donovan said. “This is the final piece to the makeover of Beaupre Field that started with the field itself, then the bleachers and press box. The concession stand and restrooms are currently under construction.”
The idea to purchase a new scoreboard was pitched by Town Manager Michael Borg and Superintendent Dr. John Antonucci at a recent council meeting.
During the meeting, Borg said he and Antonucci had discussed replacing the old scoreboard as part of the track renovation project. Borg said the maintenance for keeping the current board running had become expensive due to the rarity of incandescent light bulbs, which are the primary source of light on the board.
“This is not just the sporting aspect, but the communal aspect,” Borg said. “This is about creating a scoreboard that brings us into the 21st century.
Borg said the new scoreboard would display the scores of both home and away teams and feature unique animations to keep the crowd invested in the games.
“Now we can show replays, high school graduates, and a speaker that might visit,” Borg said. “We want to dazzle them.”
