Major Upstate New York Sports Venue Getting Renovations Worth $20M

The Carrier Dome has been the crown-jewel of college athletics in Upstate New York since 1980.

With a capacity ranging from 33,000 for basketball, to over 56,000 for concerts, The Dome has been the backdrop for the sports stars of tomorrow, and the musical stars of today. Legendary athletes like Jim Brown and Carmelo Anthony have brought fans, clad in orange, to their feet over the decades, while artists like Prince and Paul McCartney have had thousands of fans singing along to their hit songs.

Heading into the summer of 2022, plans are in place to take the fan experience at The Carrier Dome to a new level.

Get our free mobile app

New York State Commits $20 Million to Carrier Dome Renovations

On the heels of committing hundreds of millions of dollars to the Buffalo Bills' franchise for their new stadium, New York State has allocated an estimated $20 million for Syracuse University for renovations to The Carrier Dome, according to a report from CNY Central.

In what is being called the largest financial commitment to renovations for the legendary venue, the major expenditure will be adding more individual seats, eliminating the aluminum benches that have bothered the posteriors of Orange fans for decades.

A 25,000-foot events center is one of the other major aspects of the renovation project, a location that will be used for Syracuse events as well as other events across Onondaga County. After the renovations are complete, the "final product" is expected to generate an estimated $217 million in tourism revenue, university officials told CNY Central.

"State-of-the-Art Digital Venue and Fan Experience" Coming Soon

An interesting note in the report refers to a "state-of-the-art digital venue", a broad but intriguing term for Upstate New York sports fans. The major pillar of this commitment is the inclusion of 5G data technology in the Carrier Dome, allowing fans to have top-notch cell phone service while attending games and concerts.

Venues across the country, including Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium, have invested millions of dollars in the development of 5G-ready infrastructure in their buildings, and The Carrier Dome's commitment to that shows a desire to modernize the building for the "next generation" of event attendees. As reported by Syracuse.com, the university will partner with JMA Wireless to implement these changes. JMA is the same company that developed SoFi's plan, and is currently embroiled in a legal battle with former Syracuse AD, Daryl Gross.

Further details were not provided on the "digital venue" additions, but one has to imagine that more television screens, device charging stations, and other "2022" type cosmetic changes will be made.