The Dome’s air-supported roof has been a part of the Syracuse skyline since its dedication on Sept. 20, 1980. When construction was completed, the Dome was the fifth-largest domed stadium in the United States and the first of its kind in the Northeast. The air-supported roof, which is suspended 160 feet above the playing surface, maintains its structural integrity with internal air pressure exceeding or equaling pressure applied from the outside. All access to the Dome takes place in an airlock, which is why revolving doors are how fans enter and exit the stadium.
One of the last of its kind, the Dome’s roof will be replaced this year as part of a planned $118 million renovation. The building’s current design poses many challenges for an event like this past weekend’s live motorsport show, Monster Jam, operated by FELD Entertainment. “My staff works crazy hours that week [of Monster Jam preparation]. There’s not much sleep,” says Pete Sala, vice president and chief campus facilities officer. Unlike at other venues, tons of dirt, merchandise, monster trucks, payloaders, bulldozers and excavators enter the Dome systematically to avoid depressurization.
Read the full story of Monster Jam weekend at Syracuse University News.