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Director of Athletics John Wildhack, Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer Pete Sala, Jeff Rubin and JMA Wireless Chief Operating Officer Andy Adams provided an update on recent renovations to Syracuse University’s athletic facilities. Among the projects, they mentioned the Kuhn Gameday lounge, the status of the Miron Victory Court, seating renovations and plans to upgrade various women’s sports stadiums.

Rubin started by saying that the Distributed Antenna System (DAS) — a mobile phone network in a venue with a high concentration of people — is ready to be launched in the Dome. With a planned installation date of mid-October, Verizon will be the first wireless carrier to hook up DAS to the stadium, utilizing a new 6,000 square-foot space that was constructed to handle the company’s infrastructure. AT&T and T-Mobile are expected to follow, with hopes of having them set up by November.

When SU held a ceremony to introduce its naming rights deal with JMA Wireless in May 2022, the initial plan was to implement 5G four months later. Adams said that while Syracuse is close to its original timeline, the process has taken longer than anticipated because of the complexity of the new roof and stadium.

Adams added that business negotiations and the time taken to install carrier hardware has slowed the process down. Adams said JMA had four cranes hanging up antennas on the Dome’s new roof last summer. 

“Syracuse University’s JMA Wireless Dome will be the most connected 5G college stadium in the United States,” Rubin said.

The new wireless system, Rubin said, will allow SU to explore ways to “enhance fan experience” by adding in mobile ordering for concessions or merchandise, and adding new ways for fans to watch video replay of the event. JMA Wireless, who also helped with 5G implementation in SoFi and Allegiant Stadiums, added over 300 antennas and 500 radios to the Dome, taking what Rubin called a “Super Bowl-level approach.” Rubin said that the Dome will have more 5G capacity than some NFL stadiums.

Sala and Wildhack touched on the Kuhn Gameday lounge, which was constructed in January as a lounge space for fans to spend time prior to games and during halftime.

The space will allow spectators to see players walk out of the tunnel and take the field. Sala said that to enhance the V.I.P. fan experience, there will be more chances to be on-field and closer to the team. 

The lounge, renovated using funding from a donation by James and Marjorie Kuhn, is part of Phase II of what the university is calling a “multi-million dollar, multi-year effort to reimagine the stadium experience.” Wildhack noted updates to the Cuse App will allow fans to create a light show and bolster the fan rewards program.

When asked about the rumored addition of California, Stanford and SMU to the Atlantic Coast Conference, Wildhack said he would defer all questions regarding expansion to the ACC office.

“I think that’s an area of need for us. I think it’s an area of opportunity for us,” Wildhack said about expansion.

Along with the Kuhn lounge, the university has broken ground on the Miron Victory Court, a facility that will connect the Dome to the Barnes Center at The Arch.

The 26,000 square-foot court will house two enclosed entrances between the Dome and the Barnes Center near Gates F, G, and H, as well as at the northeast corner of the stadium near Gates P, E and N. While the facility is not expected to be completed until the end of the fall, Sala said the preparation for the majority of construction has been finished. 

Similar to when the university was renovating the stadium’s roof, fans will not be able to walk in between the Barnes Center and the Dome. Inside the Dome, Sala pointed to a railing installed at the base of the lower bowl as being nearly completed. The total plan for seat railings will be completed by the first football game of 2024. The construction, sparred by the announcement that the Dome will replace all of its bleacher seating with individual hardback seats, brings the Dome closer to current Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.

Gateways in the lower bowl have been increased, and the concrete curb running around the entirety of the lower level has been removed. Wheelchair ramps have been brought forward a row with the ramps leading up to them removed to reach current ADA standards. Sprinklers and smoke evacuation systems are going to be installed next summer. While some parts of the Dome won’t be up to current ADA standards, Sala said he’s comfortable entering a season with some unfinished work.

“(Our consultants) are the consultants on the stadium in Buffalo that’s going up. We use them on all of our construction sites,” Sala said.

The renovations took out three seats per row, and Sala provided an updated capacity estimate of 42-43,000 once the new seats are installed in April 2024.

Wildhack also looked forward to the next phase of athletic facilities renovations, pointing toward projects with Tennity Ice Pavilion, the Women’s Building and Skytop Softball Stadium. He said that the university upgraded the women’s ice hockey player lounge and the volleyball locker room. There is a plan in place to upgrade the softball stadium this fall, though Wildhack did not highlight what specifically will be done. After the culmination of the 2023 volleyball season, Syracuse will install a new floor and bleachers at the Women’s Building.

“We’ve really looked at that from an athlete’s experience and how we can enhance that,” Wildhack said.

Published on August 29, 2023 at 6:04 pm

Contact Anthony: aalandt@syr.edu | @anthonyalandt