The inside of the Carrier Dome the day the roof was inflated on July 24, 1980.
The Carrier Dome roof was deflated for the final time this morning.
With the world turned upside down by the coronavirus scare, this Syracuse skyline altering event received just a fraction of the attention it might have in normal times.
When the Dome was first inflated, on July 24, 1980, it was front page news.
“Acres of fiberglass fabric roof ballooned 150 feet up from the ground and workmen cavorted gleefully on the inflated surface as the Carrier Dome earned its name Thursday,” the Post-Standard’s Mike Connor wrote.
The first domed stadium in the Northeast took a giant step towards becoming a reality that day as 220 tons of roof joined 880 tons of steel, 30,000 cubic yards of concrete and almost $27 million dollars in building costs.
“I do want to go across that roof,” said Thomas Benzel, managing director of the Dome. “in the quiet of sometime I am going up there.”
Benzel, Syracuse University Chancellor Melvin Eggers and Mayor Lee Alexander watched the inflation from the 21st floor penthouse at Lawrinson Hall, as 16 large fans pumped the air-supported roof into shape. It was predicted that the roof would last 70 years.
The roof of the Carrier Dome slags on the left hand side of this photo taken on July 18, 1980, about a week before it was inflated for the first time.
The fans began whirring at 7:15 a.m. and began pumping 90,000 cubic feet of air through 36 hollow columns.
Construction experts were seen walking and leaping on the gigantic bubble making sure that each of the 64 panels inflated properly. The roof was largely inflated in about two hours.
“It’s a magnificent addition to our community’s sports complex,” Mayor Alexander said.
As the roof inflated, work continued on the playing surface below and area sports fans dreamed of the memories that would be created on it, beginning with a football game against Miami of Ohio on Sept. 20, 1980.
Besides SU football and basketball, the city had secured a deal to host the 1981 National Sports Festival, sponsored by the U.S. Olympic Committee, and the Carrier Dome was expected to host future Empire State Games, lacrosse, soccer and field hockey events.
And though none had been scheduled, the Dome was thought to be a perfect choice for future concerts and conventions.
In a Post-Standard editorial, it was said that for those who watched the Carrier Dome roof inflate that July morning, the day was like “Christmas morning.”
“The Carrier Dome was a reality.”
(Enjoy these vintage photos of the Carrier Dome roof from the Post-Standard archives, through the years, ending with this morning’s “end of an era” image.)
Overall exterior view of the Carrier Dome after it was deflated due to heavy snow on the roof. A crew works on top. March 29, 1984 Photo by David Lassman David LassmanDavid Lassman
A crew works on top of the Carrier Dome after it was deflated due to heavy snow on the roof. March 29, 1984 Photo by David Lassman David LassmanDavid Lassman
Interior view of the Carrier Dome after it was deflated due to heavy snow on the roof. March 29, 1984 Photo by David Lassman (Dave believes this was the first time the roof was deflated because of snow.) David LassmanDavid Lassman
0104 SU MEN 1, SPORTS, BY PETER CHEN 98 (top to bottom) James Migliacco, Brian George and Jamie Frazo, production workers at the Dome, mop up the water from a leak on the Carrier Dome roof. At right is Dennis Helseo, SU Assistant Athletic Director, who is looking at the roof.
Riggers work atop spotlight towers near the roof of the Carrier Dome as preparations are made for the Rolling Stones concert in 1998.
0520 DOME city 1998 Photo by Harry DiOrio The yellow square in the roof of the Carrier Dome is the patch that was replaced to fix a leaky dome. The square will be bleached out by the sun and eventually will become white.
0115 DOME CITY DESK PHOTO BY DAVID LASSMAN 1/15/99 Workers use hoses and shovels to remove snow from the roof of the Carrier Dome stadium at Syracuse University.
The interior of the Carrier Dome. Workers at the Syracuse University get the Carrier Dome ready after a two day winter storm. Staff worked throughout the storm clearing snow off the roof. A snow storm swept across Central New York Tuesday forcing the rescheduling of Syracuse's basketball game against UNC Greensboro in the NIT . Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com SYRSYR
0604 Dome 1 city 6/4/99 photo by Dick Blume Workers at the Carrier dome fold up a section of the roof after it has been taken down. Sections of the roof are being sent to Central America to make tents.
0520 DOME city 1998 Photo by Harry DiOrio The yellow square in the roof of the Carrier Dome is the patch that was replaced to fix a leaky dome. The square will be bleached out by the sun and eventually will become white.
0517 DOMEDOWN 2 CITY PHOTO BY STEPHEN D. CANNERELLI 5/17/99 After an hour the Carrier Dome is finally deflated. The roof is being replaced this summer at cost of about $14-million. This a view from the inside.
Plants and soil on the roof of the Gateway Center at State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse absorb rainwater, reducing the flow of rainwater into the city's stormwater system. Syracuse University's Carrier Dome is in the background. Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuRick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracu
The Carrier Dome on the Syracuse University campus, February 2016. The largest domed stadium on any college campus has a Teflon-coated, fiberglass inflatable roof. Lights and speakers hang from the roof. Stephen D. Cannerelli | scannerelli@syracuse.com
Work continues on replacing the S.U. dome roof - workers are seen at one of the seams where new fabric is being attached.
Unidentified person slides on the roof of the Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, Monday Feb. 2, 2015. Gary Walts | gwalts@syracuse.com
Views of the Carrier Dome as the Orange take on North Carolina. This is the final mens game before a major renovation. Lighting, Scoreboards and the sound system are slated to be replaced along with the roof, Sat. Feb. 29, 2020, at the Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY. Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.comScott Schild | sschild@syracuse.
The iconic roof of the Carrier Dome, at 8:00 a.m. Monday, March 16, 2020, after being deflated. Lauren Long | llong@syracuse.comLauren Long | llong@syracuse.com
25 things that made Syracuse great: The Carrier Dome
60-Second Syracuse: The construction of the Carrier Dome
Carrier Dome concerts through the years: Legendary acts include Billy Joel, Prince and U2
This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle at jcroyle@syracuse.com or call 315-427-3958.
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