Major renovations to the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena were unveiled on Wednesday. Senator Tom Libous, along with Broome County Executive Debbie Preston and Binghamton Senators co-owner Tom Mitchell took place in presenting the new-look arena. About $2.5 million in upgrades will hopefully work to not only keep hockey in Binghamton, but also create a better viewing experience for fans. The biggest changes come to the seating and concessions in the arena. The original seating has been replaced with comfortable, crimson-colored seats to match the Senators team colors. Concession stands were also rebuilt and will now allow customers to use credit or debit cards, along with adding a larger variety of foods offered during events. Brighter LED lighting upgrades were also introduced, and the energy saved on the new bulbs is expected to save taxpayers up to $600,000 in energy costs. Libous helped secure $2 million in funding for the renovations, while Preston was able to come up with the remaining balance through grants from the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council.
