Syracuse preps for next phase of renovations to JMA Wireless Dome

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Before officially announcing JMA Wireless as the new naming-rights holder on the Dome, Syracuse University said it also has plans for additional renovation work on its on-campus stadium. 

In its April 20 announcement, Syracuse said it wanted to “embark on the next phase of its work to enhance, elevate and expand the stadium experience.”

This includes a complete reseating, a new publicly accessible event facility and an upgrade of the entire digital infrastructure. The university will begin work this spring, with some of it scheduled to be complete as early as this September.

The next phase of renovations follows the recently completed $118 million renovation project at the Dome. Those renovations included a new fixed roof, a vertically hung scoreboard, the installation of air conditioning, and new sound and lighting systems. 

Those renovations have “improved the visitor experience and further positioned the venue and Central New York to compete nationally for large concerts, events and NCAA regional competitions,” Syracuse University contends.

It notes that the $118 million renovation project was “funded entirely” by the university and private philanthropy.

Next phase of work

Syracuse University’s April 20 announcement didn’t include a cost estimate for the additional interior renovation work, but recent media reports indicated the New York State budget included $20 million for the project.

Specifically, the renovation work will include a transition from bench seating to individual/fixed seating inside the venue.

The new seating will not only “improve comfort” but will also “enhance accessibility for patrons with disabilities,” the university contended. Syracuse plans to make the Dome’s existing bench-style seating freely available to high-school stadiums and venues across New York.

Syracuse also plans to build an on-site and publicly accessible event facility. The school will design and construct a roughly 25,000-square-foot addition on the east end of the Dome to infill the space between the Dome and the Barnes Center at The Arch. 

The new space will provide an “improved fan experience, expanded event and gathering space, and upgraded accessibility,” Syracuse said. The addition will make the Dome “more competitive with other peer venues” across the U.S., the university contends. 

Syracuse also plans to upgrade the Dome’s digital infrastructure, improving connectivity offerings for fans and other users of the Dome.

“We’ve completed a huge transformation here over the past couple of years, and because of that, we have a more competitive venue and we’ve seen more satisfied patrons, more concerts adding us to their tour stop,” Pete Sala, Syracuse University VP and chief facilities officer, said. “With our new digital infrastructure combined with a complete re-seating and construction of the new event facility, the JMA Dome is going to be a premiere destination in Central New York.”

Sala was speaking at the May 19 naming-rights announcement inside the JMA Wireless Dome. 

In his remarks, Sala also noted the work that JMA Wireless conducted at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Charges and the site of Super Bowl LVI.

Sala said he spent some time there last fall and said JMA’s work made SoFi “one of, if not the, most high tech … cutting edge athletics and entertainment venues in the country.” And he believes Syracuse’s partnership with JMA Wireless will make the Dome “better than that.”

“Our team is gearing up for this exciting work,” Sala said. “We have the best campus community, [and] the best fans. Our ultimate goal is to give them the best experience possible every time they step foot in the JMA Dome.”