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Alliance Bank
Stadium / Syracuse Chiefs
(click on the image
for a larger photo)
| Year Opened | 1997 |
| Capacity | Around 11,000 |
| Architects | HOK Sport |
| Dimensions | 330L, 350LC, 380LC, 400C, 408RC, 376RC, 350RC, 330R |
| Playing Surface | AstroTurf |
| Last Visit | 2007 |
| Web Site | syracusechiefs.com |
| Online Broadcasts | Yes |
| Online Ticket Sales | Yes |
| Phone | 315/474-7833 |
| Ticket Prices (2007) | Lower level (100-200) $8, Children $7, General admission (upper level) $5, General admission (children) $3 |
| Parent Club | Toronto Blue Jays |
| League | International League |
| Parking | $3. |
| Address/Directions | One Tex Simone Drive Syracuse, NY. Located off I-690 or I-81. Follow signs from Hiawatha Boulevard. |
| Text and Photos By: | Steve Kapsinow |
| Rating |  |
(click on the image
for a larger photo)
The classic
ballpark horseshoe. As of next season the
artificial turf will be gone.
Got Grass? As of now, Alliance Bank Stadium, home of the Syracuse Chiefs does not, but if you spot a fan wearing a "Got Grass?" t-shirt, you will know it’s coming very soon. At the end of the 2007 season, the turf field will be replaced with natural grass -- a much-welcomed addition to many of the farm-raised fans that come from this traditionally agricultural community.
AstroTurf was the material of choice when Alliance Bank Stadium (P&C Stadium prior to 2005) opened in 1997 mainly because field of the Rogers Centre in Toronto (formerly known as the SkyDome), home of parent club Toronto Blue Jays, was also AstroTurf, and the organization wanted to acclimate its players to this artificial surface.
Rogers Centre recently replaced the turf with FieldTurf technology, which more closely resembles real grass. So, the decision was made to convert Alliance Bank Stadium to natural grass. However, the conversion will likely have other benefits as well.
In 2006 Chiefs ownership renewed the contract with the Blue Jays for two more years. Knowing that both the New York Yankees and Mets were shopping for a new Triple-A affiliate, fans were upset. Rumor has it that once the current contract expires in 2008, the Chiefs will pursue the New York Mets (whose current triple-A team is in New Orleans), something that would probably be more difficult with an existing turf field.
I tried hooking up with Chiefs Director of Communications, Bob McElligott, to ask him about the rumors, but little did I know that Bob also calls the games’ play-by-play for ESPN Radio 1260, so he was understandably unavailable for comment during my visit.
(click on the image
for a larger photo)
The season the team
switched from an aviation theme to the railroad
theme in its branding; note the program seller.
The 11,000-seat stadium draws roughly 5,400 attendees a game, well below the average attendance of most International League parks. For instance, the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees average 8,000+ per game. Perhaps a New York-based major-league affiliate will boost these numbers since the ballpark itself didn’t seem to be much of deterrent.
While it lacks some of the frills found at other parks, Alliance Bank Stadium does the basics pretty well. The entire park has comfortable chair-style seating with ample leg room. No bleachers anywhere. The concourse divides the lower 100 and 200 levels from the suites and general-admission upper level. The concourse also features a row of unobstructed seating. Most fans access the concourse via a flight of stairs behind the home plate side of the park. Elevators are also available through the team offices next to the home plate entrance. If you arrive early to the game, I recommend peeking around the corner from the elevators in the team's offices. There you’ll find trophy cases with numerous awards and memorabilia and the Syracuse Baseball Wall of Fame, which was established in 1998 in conjunction with the 140th anniversary of the first organized baseball team in Syracuse.
(click on the image
for a larger photo)
The Syracuse
Baseball Hall of Fame is located inside the team
offices.
The entire field is visible from the left side of the park; however, the view of the right-field corner from the seats behind home plate and along most of the first-base side is blocked by the seats in the right-field corner area, which are configured to provide a view right down the first-base line. The right-field corner seats also provide a great view of the game. The only problem is on a nice summer night the sun sets over left field, which makes for a lot of potential squinting and sweating until it disappears behind the trees.
The stadium boasts a large electronic scoreboard just beyond the left-center-field wall and a table-top green manual scoreboard that’s part of the wall in right center between the 408 and 376 marks. This scoreboard displays International League, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and New York Mets scores.
The bullpens are located just behind left field, and a tent-covered picnic area for private parties is located just beyond the right-field wall.
There isn’t too much to do for the kids -- none of those fun zones you see at some other parks, but the team’s two mascots, the enigmatic Scootch and train engineer Pops roam the concourse throughout game, and there is plenty of good food to keep them satisfied.
(click on the image
for a larger photo)
Concessions
The park definitely plays up the
local/regional angle with freshly squeezed
lemonade, salt potatoes (small boiled skin-on
potatoes with salt added to the water to the point
of saturation), Syracuse-based Hofmann hotdogs and
Byrne Dairy ice cream, and beer from Utica-based
Saranac Brewery. Also available is the usual fare
such as hamburgers, pizza, chicken tenders, fries,
popcorn and brand-name soda and beer.
I personally recommend the pulled-pork sandwich from the Italian sausage concession stand. The tender BBQ-sauce drenched pulled pork on potato roll was one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had.
Where to Stay
There are plenty of reliable chain hotels and inns
in the Syracuse region.
In the Area
If you like museums, there’s everything from
the Erie Canal Museum to the Salt Museum to the
Museum of Science and Technology. The Rosamond
Gifford Zoo is also a nice way to spend a couple
hours before the game. If shopping or movies is
more your speed, the always-expanding Carousel
Center is within sight the ballpark. The Great New
York State Fair is held in late August and runs
until the first week of September at the New York
State Fairgrounds also in Syracuse.
About 45 minutes west on I-90 is the NY Finger Lakes region, where you’ll find myriad wineries, seasonal festivals, and the Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls.
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