Excitement is building for the improvements being completed at Bell Field in Faribault.

Among items under routine business at Tuesday night's Faribault City Council meeting was information concerning the purchase of a new scoreboard for the ballpark.

The Faribault Lakers are co-hosting with the Dundas Dukes and Miesville Mudhens the 2021 Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament.

A number of improvements have already been made to Bell Field in preparations for hosting the event.

Under terms outlined in a Letter of Understanding between the Faribault Baseball Association and City of Faribault the city will purchase the scoreboard.  The Baseball Association will repay the city for the entire cost of the scoreboard.

AIM Electronics of Eden Prarie, Mn. is selling the Daktronics LED Baseball Scoreboard and Accessories to the City of Faribault which means no sales tax will be charged.

AIM will provide new I-beams, new concrete footings, mount the new scoreboard and provide in-person operator training once a licensed electrician hired by the city has completed the final connections.

A majority of the $65,360 cost for the new Scoreboard is being donated by the State Bank of Faribault which will have their logo on the board.

It is similar to the current scoreboard in that it has the simple basics.  No video board like Bruce Smith Field.  The letters in the graphic layout provided by AIM Electronics for home and guest will be able to have the name of teams.  It is a digital, LED board.

The color scheme will match the graphic layout we showed at the top of this article.  The "Decorative Arch Truss Above the Scoreboard" with Bell Field across it will not be backlit.

The cost includes removal of the old board and installation of the new board.

Faribault Lakers Manager Charlie Lechtenberg is also the high school baseball Head Coach and told KDHL POWER 96 the board will be installed and working for the high school spring season.

It can be operated from the dugout or the grandstand booth.

Lechtenberg added there are still more improvements to be made before the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Tournament arrives in late August.  The tournament is run by the Minnesota Baseball Association.

Concrete pads are being poured down the first and third baselines along the black fencing beyond each dugout toward the outfield.

Lechtenberg says they also plan to build a deck down the third baseline which will be "Awesome" for regular season usage as well as the State Amateur Baseball Tournament.

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