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With reports out this week that Syracuse had considered a new multi-sport facility to house the football, basketball and lacrosse teams, the Fizz takes a look at a few pros and cons of a new stadium being built for the Orange.
Pros
More enjoyable for fans: Not to say the Carrier Dome isn’t a great place to watch a game, but a new building would be much much better.¬†Between metal bleachers, some without seat backs, and steep stairs in the upper deck, the Carrier Dome could use some upgrades. With a new building, fans would get the new amenities that come in almost all stadiums now.
Outdoor Games? To really go all out, SU could put a retractable roof on a potential new building. That would open the DOOR for outdoor football and lacrosse games, and maybe even a basketball games. Yes, basketball in an open-air stadium sounds crazy, but the Orange have played on a boat before, so maybe it happens if they play in a retractable roof stadium.
Another new source of revenue. News flash: Syracuse does not get naming rights money from Carrier. The University received a one-time fee from Carrier as part of the original fundraising for construction. Yet, it is still the Carrier Dome, named after the air conditioning company. If a new building is built, that would end the agreement SU made with Carrier at the time, opening the door to a large naming rights contract. Just look at some of the others around the country. While the name “Carrier Dome” has become synonymous with SU, a large influx of cash could help the university in other ways.
Recruiting. Showing kids a brand new state-of-the-art building is a lot better than showing them the 35-year-old Carrier Dome, even if the Dome is rich in history. A new facility would likely be similar to the Dome in that it is a one-of-a-kind football/basketball/lax venue. For basketball, this could also be a way to position the court in the center and telling kids they could play in front of 40,000 to 50,000 people.
Cons
Cost. Where will the money come from? Reports surfaced this week because Syracuse mayor Stephanie Miner said she did not support the project. However, in other reports, the county legislature was already ready to fight for some state money for the stadium. Syracuse will need county money because SU may not have the money right now to start building a new stadium after ground breaking for the new football facilities.
Location. One of the best parts about the Dome is that it sits right on campus. Students can take a short walk over to the games, alumni have reason to wander around their old campus, and it makes it feel more like a college game. In order to be in the same spot, the Orange would need to find a new place to play for a few years or construction would be very fast. With the first part, maybe basketball plays at the War Memorial downtown, and football and lax play near the soccer stadium on South Campus. The second part, maybe the construction can begin as soon as the lax season (or basketball if lax plays a year somewhere else) and can be done completely over the summer. But if they move, maybe the Dome moves to South Campus. That would take away from the overall campus atmosphere, students would no longer be able to take a quick walk to the game after a late class. Tailgates on campus or Marshall Street would become more of a logistical challenge. The Dome is perfect where it is on campus, and moving it could create problems and backlash.
The city isn’t behind it.¬†If the city isn’t behind the project, it becomes much harder for SU to get the stadium built. Doctor Gross may not be able to raise all the money needed to cover the extraordinary costs involved with building a new stadium without the help of the city, county and maybe state, even with the help of new ACC money.
A new stadium would be great for SU. It could attract more recruits and might be able to bring in some more money through a naming rights deal. But it just isn’t the right time to talk about building a new stadium. According to SU sport management professor Micheal Veley, the Dome roof’s lifespan lasts about 10-15 more years and the cost of a new roof could be similar to starting over. It is possible that Syracuse has just been planning for the future, but this conversation will become even more pressing when the Dome roof is really on its last legs and needs to be replaced.
Posted by: Seth Goldberg 
286 responses to “Could A New Multi-Sport Dome in Syracuse Come Soon?”
Build it and the will come???? Alot of questions need to be answered.
The dome is a great venue. I like the idea of a retractable roof. I think if I could envision the perfect stadium for SU, it would seat 65-75,000 and have a retractable roof.
I think if construction happened, SU would play home games at SUNY Cortland or Metlife
@Seth Goldberg;
You forgot to mention,the state only putting in $200 million for the project. Where’s the other $300 million coming from? Does that mean the tax payers have to front the bill? Don’t you think we’re paying enough now and when does soaking the people for other peoples wet dreams come to a close.
The location mentioned for the new stadium was downtown. How come the county didn’t build the new baseball stadium there? Was it because of the neighborhoods that surrounded the area? I know that I wouldn’t go to the games any more if it was located downtown.
When Syracuse was building the dome the football team played all of their games on the road. Do they really want to have their football,basketball and Lacrosse teams travel for a year or two while a new dome is built? Lets be real here.
I feel if A NEW BUILDING is built it should be located over on South Campus with a 35-40K seating capacity for basketball,putting the court in the center would make for some fun times instead of setting in the opposite corner in the football building. The women’s ice hockey team has Tennity Arena for playing their games in. If they want a new stadium for hockey let the county,city and state pay for a new War Memorial complex downtown.
You didn’t mention who was going to collect the proceeds from a new building downtown either. Back when Lee Alexander was Mayor of Syracuse,a battle between the city and university developed with the university ending up having to pay the bill for the police working overtime directing traffic before and after the games. The cith also wanted to collect taxes on all the events that were held at the dome. That’s why there isn’t any concerts in the dome,and I’m surprised that events like the Monster Truck show is allowed.
You mentioned recruiting and how a new building would bring in some top talent. Have you ever been down to University of Florida and gone into the SWAMP? That building is a lot older that the dome. Go ask Thomas Holley if the age of the complexhe’s about to play in had anything to do with his decision on committing to the GATORS?
It’s taken 36 years for Jim Boeheim to build a program to when he first started was getting 10-12K fans at Manley Field House to a game to what it is today getting 24-35K fans packed into the dome watching the team play. The “DOME” is what attracts all those 4&5* basketball players to come to Syracuse to play. They want to play in front of a packed house and there isn’t another college or pro team in the country that can deliver a crowd of that size consistantly.
So let’s leave the dome alone,people that are saying that they want an open air stadium are the same ones who probably set home and watch a game on TV. What makes you think their going to come out to watch the Syracuse Football team play in the rain or cold? Make almost everone happy,build a new baketball stadium on South Campus.
DO NOT FORGET RON!! That the Dome was build for FOOTBALL and JB made the SUBB program from that!! Retractable roof is the goal I feel for SUFB. Get a new facility for SUBB program. I think in reality separate buildings would make SUFB program better! It would have its own identity!! Very few if any College FB programs play their FB or BB on the same floor????? Maybe only SU????
Please do not forget the kids of PSABUSEDU!! The NCAA did!!
@Terry;
your on target again kiddo,and that was a point I was trying to make. Both you and I are probably season tickets holders and have gone to the dome to watch many of their games. I’ve been a season ticket holder for over 20 years now and I’m telling you that I truly love my seats as much now as I did 20 years ago. Guy’s like you and I say leave the dome alone,there’s nothing wrong with the way it is. But you know how it goes when the frigging politicians get involved and how they just love spending other peoples money.
I’ll try to answer some questions.
Ron- I agree with you about the tax payers. I don’t think tax payers should be asked to pay a lot for this building, especially because SU is a private institution. With the 200M potentially from the state, the university would probably ask for a little more from the city/county, but I would think the school needs to be the leading funds. That being said, if the city would rather put it downtown and say the Syracuse Crunch play there too, then the county and city probably have to kick in more money. Who collects revenue probably ties in with all this as well. As for recruiting, that point is aimed more towards the football program. You are absolutely right that Boeheim has used the Dome as a recruiting tool and it has helped build the program. As for a roof, I don’t think open air was ever a possibility because the school would likely look to keep BB and FB in the same building, that cannot be done without a roof. However, if the facility gets built, I think a retractable roof is almost guaranteed, especially with what Doc Gross has been saying about the project.
Terry- SU is the only school that has FB and BB in the same building. For that reason, I think it is likely that both would continue to be in the same building whenever a new facility is built. While separate venues would be great, I don’t think it is at all possible right now. That is a lot of money to spend and a lot of space to take. However, total speculation now, maybe the city/county says they want to build a new building downtown and the SU men’s and women’s BB and women hockey can play there and it is also the new arena for the Crunch. Then, SU would need to build another place for football. That being said, I don’t think SU would be able to just play in a building downtown without paying and I don’t think SU would try to build a new football stadium without at least trying to get state/county/city money. So either way, all entities are being asked to spend a lot.
I think a new stadium will be built, but I think it is maybe 5-8 years in the future still. Would love to see it on the site to the Carrier Dome with construction non-stop all summer, but I don’t know that is completely possible. I think next best would be on south campus rather than downtown, but if the city/county gives money they might ask the university to put it downtown, just something to think about.
Two things come into play for me here. First the old addage “FOLLOW THE MONEY” and second the age old argument between “EDUCATION AND ATHLETICS”,with everyone always saying it’s more important to get an education. More on that later.
In 2012/2013 Nancy Cantor raised $1.2 BILLION Dollars for the university adding that to the $1.5 BILLION university already had in the bank drawing interest.
I’ve seen first hand and know all about the fund raising activities that Dr. Gross does as AD. No matter where he goes,always smoozing the alumni for donations. In 2010/2011 it was reported that the basketball team alone generated $25,675.00 million dollars and will probably surpass that total this year. The 2013/2014 football team will probably will finally show a mere $3-5 million dollar profit. None of the above monies include the $23-25 million the university will recieve from the ACC or the NCAA for making it to the tournament in March and possibly going to the national championship game in April. And yet the county,city and state wants to build a $500 million dollar stadium paid for by the local taxpayers. Amazing!!!!!
The construction of the new Daneen Law building and the newly completed dorms to house it’s students combined has to be in the $100 million dollar range and I don’t know if any of the $1.2 billion was spent on it or not. NYS has sunk a lot of money expanding the ESF complex on campus and from what I hear is not through yet. More buildings are going up on what used to be parking lots around the dome.
So for me it’s easy on where to get the money. First thing I would do is send a delegation representing the university,county,city and the State of NY 40 miles east of Syracuse to the Turning Stone Casino and ask them for a sizable donation to help build the new stadium. After all they have approximately $3 Billion in tax free money that they’ve collected over the last 20 years setting in the bank drawing interest. A $75-100 million dollar donation should be the least that they donate.
Or if Nancy Cantor can go out and raise $1.2 Billion dollars for the general fund,why not have the new chancellor go out and ask the very successful alumni from both the intellectual and athletic words to donate enough money to build the new stadium,keeping the local and state governments out of the whole thing.
Or just take the money the universwity already has on hand and go ahead and build it without any outside help from the county,city or state.
@Seth;
Every once and awhile things happen that makes me want to vent. I have,I’ve let every one know how I feel about the whole thing. So I say thank you for answering my post and giving me another point of view to ponder. Much appreciated.
If it were totally up to me I wouldn’t want anything to do with the county,city or state officials dictating to me on what or how I should run things if a new building were to be built.
Um,I was just wondering about the amount of money Joe Biden has donated to the university or if he indeed was ever going to donate to a project of this magitude.
I’m sorry folks but I’m not finished yet.
Currently the university supplies all of the labor that works the event’s at the dome. They use union/non union labor,students and volunteer organizations that run the concession stands. The union labor works the kitchens that produce the foods that go to the luxury boxes for all the games.
The volunteer organizations are no-profit groups that come in and raise money for school activities that their children attend.
What about the alcohol(beer and wine)sales? If the stadium is built downtown does all this go away?
I’m finished. Not another comment.
The stupidity of the local government will prevent the city from advancing itself economically and socially desirable status. the city will always remain a second class metropolitan geographic hardship community known primarily for the snow fall depths it suffers. I blame the elected officials that promise to work on behalf of the citizens but seldom accomplish their duties in a meaningful manner.
Think outside the box, Build a huge sports and entertainment complex down by the old kennedy square complex sprawling from almond street to beech st and from erie blvd to fayette st if need be, A retfactable roof football stadium where you can play bball,lax,soccer or any sport we have here in the area. Get the Bills, Giants and Jets to play one game each year here.Have the pro N.Y bball teams play a game or 2 here every year.We could host the final four here,maybe have a football bowl game here. Concerts galore. Move syracuse stage in. Put in theaters, bowling. C’mon use yourimaginations…
My 2 cents of thought is that the city once again lags behind in thinking. It’s immediate focus is on pot holes and trying to tone down the inner city violence that we read about almost every day. Syracuse should take the “leadership point” for this project and work with the County & State (They love to send money to NYC — witness the Madison Square Garden facelift or Yankee Stadium rebuild). Upstate is more than due. But I do not think AD Gross could put it together so forget about him.
Give them hell RON!! Some of them tick me off too!! LOL!! But I feel if SUFB is going to grow it needs its own identity like ALL OTHER PROGRAMS have. I don’t see BB games played in Death Valley when Clemson plays BB!!! Give SUFB its own facility the “DOME”!!!
Watch ESPNU and their view on the ACC. No mention at all about SU. Louisville they feel will be 3rd in their division!! FSU again should play though!! By the way again the announcers bellowed that talent wins now in modern college ball. DUH!!
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