Dome's 'Summer of Improvements' Complete

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – When the doors to the Carrier Dome open for the Northwestern football game on Saturday, Sept. 1 a brilliant display of color will greet Orange Nation. The sources: two state-of-the-art Daktronics LED video boards and a 360-degree ribbon board capable of producing HD video, up-to-the-minute stats, graphics and crowd-pleasing animations.

While the new video displays will be the most visible change in the Dome, several other improvements have been made to enhance the Syracuse game experience. Among them are the ability to accept credit cards at all permanent points of sale, a dedicated wireless network for smartphone users, additional suite-holder benefits, and an expanded Club 4·4 menu.

"This really was a summer of improvements," said Carrier Dome Managing Director Pete Sala. "The roof (replacement) project in 2000 was huge, but that was maintenance. This is improvements. I think this is absolutely, bar none, the biggest summer of improvements we've ever had. Even replacing the old Astroturf with FieldTurf doesn't compare. With these boards and the other things we've done the Dome is now a state-of-the-art facility."

NEW HD VIDEO AND RIBBON BOARDS
"This is something we have been working to acquire for some time," Syracuse Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross said of the integrated video board system. "It will add to the fan experience in the most spectacular way, enhancing live game viewing significantly. All of these video displays will dramatically change the atmosphere in the Dome."

The two large video displays in each end zone measure 21 feet high and more than 40 feet wide. They are flanked by two additional displays that are 12 feet high by 10 feet wide.

As part of the system, six smaller boards have been installed in concourse entryways and at the player entrances. In addition, a portable truck display will be positioned behind sections 123-124 for basketball games.

The ribbon board runs all the way around the upper fascia of the Dome.

In conjunction with multiple contractors, Sala and his staff began installing the boards immediately after commencement in May. The work continued to the middle of August. Now the finishing touches are being applied in preparation for the opener.

For Sala, a 30-year Dome veteran and one of the leading stadium operations professionals in the country, the work has been well worth it.

"When you walk in it just makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up," he said. "It's incredible. It makes the building feel so much more alive."

While improving the quality of the gameday experience, the video displays also add variety to the sponsorship and advertising opportunities that exist for businesses that support the Orange. One of those corporate partners, Pepsi, made a significant financial contribution to help take the project to the next level.

"Thanks to our partnership with Pepsi all of this new modernized technology and media is possible," Gross said.

From an operational and environmental standpoint the new boards are second to none.

"We had three boards that were 30 feet long," Sala said. "You have 1,500 feet of ribbon board that takes a third of the power that those three boards did. The big boards at the end of the building take half the power of the ones they replaced.

"LED technology is the way to go today. They don't use nearly as much power. They are so much slimmer. They don't weigh as much. It's just a great product."

USE OF CREDIT CARDS AT PERMANENT SALE LOCATIONS
To make transactions more efficient and convenient, major credit cards are now able to be accepted at all permanent points of sale in the Dome, including all concession stands.

"It'sabout convenience," Sala said. "We have five ATM machines here, but who wants to stand in line at an ATM machine then in line at a concession stand? That's not convenient for our fans."

In order to complete the project, the Dome staff ran literally miles of Ethernet cables throughout the building to get the credit card machines at each location online.

"We even went to the extent to do the ice cream stands in the three corners and the beer portables on the third level," Sala said. "For me it's everything or nothing. You either do right or you don't do it at all, so we went the extra mile and hit all those little locations."

The only exceptions are the "hawkers" as Sala calls them. They are the temporary vendors that occupy the building during events. They still accept cash only.

IMPROVED WIRELESS ACCESS
Fans with iPhones, Droids and other smartphones will notice a significant upgrade in the speed and stability of their Internet connection from now on. While fans can still access the Internet through their wireless provider, Sala worked with the campus IT staff to install a dedicated wireless network for use during Dome events.

"We needed to be able to give people the freedom to get on the Internet and have it work and be something that's easy to cruise through and connect to," Sala said.

SUITE-HOLDER BENEFITS
After surveying football and basketball suite holders, Sala expanded the benefits offered for the upcoming year. They include:

Two-hour pre-game access to their suites through Gates A and C.
Post-game access extended a half hour.
New menu items from Carrier Dome Catering, including wines and specialty beers.
Special discount on membership to Club 4·4.

EXPANDED CLUB 4·4 MENU
In order to continue providing the highest quality cuisine and cocktails, Sala and his staff transformed the chef's area in Club 4·4 into a full working kitchen.

"As Club 4·4 has grown and progressed over the last three years, people want a higher-end food and higher-end hors d'oeuvres," Sala said. "We had to enhance that kitchen area."

In his mind, the expanded kitchen, along with the addition of Donna Pascarella as catering manager, has taken the club's menu offerings to new heights.

"To have that new set of eyes and a new set of ideas has been great," Sala said. "She's doing an incredible job."

With the latest round of improvements complete, Sala believes the Dome, which is entering its 33rd season, is more ready than ever to meet the needs of the Orange faithful.

"It's all about the gameday experience for the fan," Sala said. "What can we do to make it a better environment the people who are our supporters and who buy the tickets? It's about continuous improvement and always striving to be a state-of-the-art facility."

He also credits Gross for making it possible to transform the Dome into what it is today, and he says fans should expect more upgrades in the future.

"Dr. Gross has allowed us to find the resources to put some color in this place," Sala said. "We are not done either. We have a plan. It's a long-term plan and we are going to hit that next level."

Season and individual game football tickets are available online, in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B), or by calling 1-888-DOMETIX. Tickets and travel packages for the New York's College Classic against USC at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 8 are available at www.nycollegeclassic.com.

Syracuse University Athletics

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