Carrier Dome (Syracuse, NY)

The Carrier Dome is a 51,000-seat sports stadium on the campus of Syracuse University. Since opening on September 20, 1980, the Dome has hosted a wide variety of events. It serves as the home of the SU Orangemen football, basketball, lacrosse and soccer teams. The "Dome" has also been host to numerous rounds of NCAA championships. The Olympic figure-skating travel exhibition has also appeared in the Dome twice.

The Dome has also been a tour stop for such artists as Frank Sinatra, U2, Genesis, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, the Who and many others.

With thirty thousand cubic yards of concrete and 880 tons of steel went into the building of the fifth largest domed stadium in the United States. The roof is a "soft" roof and is kept in place by a constant air pressure generated by a series of large fans. The project called on the talents of more than 80 companies, and cost $26.85 million.

The Dome was constructed between April, 1979 and September, 1980.

Total construction costs were $28 million, including a $2.75 million naming gift from the Carrier Corporation.

The full Dome seats more than 49,500, including all of its levels and private boxes. Seating capacity for basketball is about 33,000 and for concerts about 39,000, including as many as 8,500 temporary seats on the floor.

The Carrier Dome covers 7.7 acres and has 527,320 square feet of floor space. It is 570 feet long and 497 feet wide; the top of the Dome is 165 feet above the playing surface.

The Dome roof weighs 220 tons. It is constructed of 287,000 square feet of Teflon-coated Fiberglass and 14 three-inch thick steel bridge cables. Sixteen five-foot diameter fans located in the walls provide the air pressure to keep the double-layered roof inflated. When necessary, the fans circulate air heated to 145 degrees Fahrenheit to melt snow on contact with the roof.

The playing surface -- 405 feet long by 215 feet wide -- is rubberized and includes all markings for an eight-lane, 200-meter running track. For football and other field events, the floor is covered with 83,655 square feet of 1/2-inch AstroTurf over a 5/8-inch foam pad. The 26 rolls of AstroTurf are installed by a machine called a Grasshopper and are held together by zippers. For basketball, a 225-section wood floor is assembled in the west end of the building.