Syracuse University is pondering options for the future of the Carrier Dome, including a name change and additional renovations to the 40-year-old venue.
The Carrier Dome was made possible with a substantial gift from Carrier Corporation back in 1979.
“With Carrier’s cooperation, we will seek to rename our stadium while we continue our work to transform the experience for our students, faculty, staff, fans and Central New York community,” said John Wildhack, director of athletics, in a statement Wednesday. “Without Carrier’s generosity and longstanding support, completion of the Carrier Dome would not have been possible, nor would the decades of iconic sports moments and Central New York memories. We are eternally grateful for the tremendous impact Carrier has had on Orange Athletics, the Syracuse University community and the Orange fan base.”
The university also announced several new renovations projects for the stadium which recently underwent $118 million in upgrades over the past few years.
According to Spectrum News 1, the next phase of the renovations will include new seating, a new publicly accessible event facility and an upgrade of the entire digital infrastructure. Work on those projects is expected to being as early as September 2022.
“Syracuse University is proud of the important role the Dome plays in the Central New York community and grateful for its longstanding relationship with Carrier,” said Chancellor Kent Syverud. “The Dome has been an iconic sports and entertainment venue for more than 40 years. These new enhancements will generate new and additional economic activity in Central New York and continue the Dome’s reputation as one of the top collegiate venues for generations to come.”
The new event facility will be a 25,000-square-foot addition on the east end of the Dome, which will fill space between the Dome and the Barnes Center at the The Arch.
The Dome’s original bench seating will be transitioned to individual seats, with the old benches set to be donated to high school stadiums and venues across the state.
