SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — NBT Bank Stadium, the home of the Syracuse Mets, is a staple in the community during the summer months. Since its $21 million ballpark renovation in 2021, NBT Bank Stadium has been rated one of the best minor league venues in the country.
The Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets has been recognized for the gameday experience it provides to fans in Central New York. The Mets play 150 games from late March until September with half of those games being played in the Salt City. Managment scheduled nearly 40 promotions at NBT Bank Stadium that offer giveaways for fans and over 25 firework nights over the summer.
However, during the offseason or when the team is on the road, the stadium remains underutilized on the city’s Northside. During 2023, the Mets did not host any events before or after the season concluded according to the team’s website. (There are none scheduled in 2024 as well)
NBT Bank Stadium is tucked away near the CNY farmers market and other small businesses. The ballpark is secluded with a large parking lot surrounding the grandstands and train tracks visible past the outfield wall. There is little incentive for fans to spend additional time before or after Syracuse Mets games because there are no restaurants or bars that are commonplace around newly constructed sports stadiums. Other Triple A organizations like the Charlotte Knights, Columbus Clippers and Buffalo Bisons have stadiums located in the heart of their respective cities that stay busy in the offseason by hosting events.
How can the Mets do to better embrace themselves in the community and consistently have people inside the venue for more than just baseball games? The Buffalo Bills have a different approach for economic development around the stadium in Orchard Park.
The Bills moved to the Southtown suburb in 1973, and the organization immediately solidified as a staple in the community. With the stadium not being landlocked in the downtown area, Highmark Stadium offers plenty of parking space for tailgating activities and other establishments within walking distance from the gates. Even when it’s not football season, Highmark Stadium still hosts plenty of concerts and events to keep Western New Yorkers coming back to Orchard Park as much as possible.
Sarah Reynolds is a Syracuse native and regularly attends concerts in the Buffalo area. Reynolds made the two-hour drive West on I-90 to see country music star Luke Combs on his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour and admitted not knowing that Orchard Park existed before a previous concert.
“I’ve been to a bunch of shows at Highmark now over the years and I think it’s really cool to see this whole area come together,” Reynolds said. There’s just a lot to do around the stadium and you can make it an all-day experience. It’s nice to have it not inside because I feel like we’ve been to KeyBank a lot and Toronto is inside, so it’s been nice to kinda tailgate outside.”
Additional events in Orchard Park will continue with the Bills in the early stages of their new $1.7 billion stadium project right across the street from the current Highmark Stadium. It was important for the community to keep the organization in the Southtowns instead of heading 20 minutes to downtown. Locals like Sam Sallome are always willing to show appreciation to the Bills for making an attempt to bring additional events to the area instead of just the games on Sundays.
“I’ve been a Bills fan growing up and everything, so I think coming to these events instead of just Bills games it’s just great to come out and support these country artists or even any other artists that are at the stadium,” Sallome said. This team means so much not just to Orchard Park, but really all of Western New York.”
If the Mets have already spent millions on the ballpark itself, it wouldn’t be surprising for their front office to show their commitment to Syracuse. Resembling the Bills tactics to boost community engagement, NBT Bank Stadium could become a venue that is utilized all year long.
