Officials in Atlantic City held a ribbon cutting April 29 to mark the completion of a $5.6 million renovation of Pop Lloyd Stadium.

The stadium bears the name of Baseball Hall of Famer and Negro League star shortstop John Henry “Pop” Lloyd. Built in the late 1940s, and last updated in the 1990s, the venue had fallen into disrepair over the years.

However, the renovation project broke ground last June. Funding came from a combination of American Rescue Plan Money and 2022 Supplemental Transitional Aid. The work sought to transform the iconic venue from just a baseball field into a multipurpose sports hub for the Atlantic City youth and community.

“This is another promise made, another promise kept for the Small administration,” said Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. “I had a vision for a very long time to turn this baseball field into a multisport stadium – and I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish.”

Key features of the project include:

• New artificial blue and red turf
• New dugouts, locker rooms, bleachers, restrooms, lighting, fencing, scoreboard as well as a state-of-the-art sound system
• A study determined the facility’s structure could be preserved during the renovation
• Useable for baseball, softball and T-ball – as well as flag football, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and more
• Atlantic City-based Weatherby Construction Co. served as project contractor; while Arthur Ponzio & Associates served as project consultant
• City of Atlantic City Recreation division manages the facility, which will handle the scheduling of events and programs

On May 1, Atlantic City High School hosts Oakcrest High School for the first game at the newly renovated stadium.

Mayor Small added, “This field looks better than it ever has – the residents of Atlantic City deserve that, and we are looking forward to creating memories for our community on this new field that will last a lifetime.”