The legacy of the Carrier Dome

It is a landmark on the Syracuse University campus that has been around for nearly 30 years.  The Carrier Dome opened Sept. 20, 1980, and has been a staple on the Syracuse hill ever since.

While home to SU basketball, football and lacrosse, the Dome has played host to concerts by artists such Billy Joel and Pink Floyd, commencement speeches by Vice President Joe Biden and major sporting events such as NCAA basketball regional tournament games. 

Photo: Syracuse University

The "Loud House" holds over 50,000 fans for football games, and has held over 30,000 for basketball. As a result, SU has led the NCAA in average yearly basketball attendance 12 times.

The structure's size makes it the fifth largest domed stadium in the United States, and the largest on any college campus.

In order to deal with Central New York's notorious snowstorms, the Carrier Dome’s roof is equipped with a snow-melting system. Vents pump hot air onto the inside part of the roof before big storms to stop snow from accumulating on top.

Despite being named after the Carrier air conditioning company, the Dome does not have an air-conditioning system.