SYRACUSE METS
NBT Bank Stadium
The New York Mets' AAA affiliate park in upstate New York's salt city. NBT Bank Stadium opened in 1997 in Syracuse — historically known as Salt City for its salt works on Onondaga Lake — and has hosted the Syracuse Chiefs, SkyChiefs, and Mets through multiple affiliate changes. The Destiny USA mall is visible beyond right field. The salt potatoes are seasonal and authentic.
PHOTO: Michael Miner · CC BY-SA 4.0
Architecture & History
NBT Bank Stadium was designed by HOK Sport and opened June 12, 1997, replacing MacArthur Stadium.
Syracuse's identity as Salt City comes from the extensive salt works on Onondaga Lake that operated from the early 19th century.
The Syracuse Mets affiliate connection brings the Mets' prospect pipeline to upstate New York.
Build specs
- ARCHITECT
- HOK Sport (Populous)
- CAPACITY
- 11,071
- OPENED
- June 12, 1997
- HERITAGE
- Salt City — Onondaga Lake salt works tradition
Statues & Exterior
EXTERIOR FEATURES
Alliance Bank Stadium Origins
NBT Bank Stadium sits in Syracuse's North Side, serving as a community anchor since 1997. The park has hosted multiple Triple-A championship games.
Names & History
2012–present
NBT Bank Stadium
Named for NBT Bank.
1997–2012
Alliance Bank Stadium
Original naming rights partner.
The Food
Syracuse Salt Potatoes
Small potatoes boiled in heavy brine until salt crystallises on the skin, served with melted butter.
Syracuse Salt Potatoes
Salt Potato stands — main concourse
Salt potatoes — small new potatoes boiled in heavily salted water until salt crystallises on the skin, served with melted butter. A Central New York original.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Brisket
Dinosaur BBQ stand
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, the Syracuse BBQ institution since 1983.
Gianelli Sausage
Sausage stands — main concourse
Gianelli Sausage, the Syracuse Italian sausage company since 1919. Sweet or hot sausage with peppers and onions.
Hofmann Hot Dogs
Hofmann stands
Hofmann Sausage, the Syracuse sausage company since 1879. The snappy dog — natural casing, distinctive snap.
Mets Dog
Every stand
Standard hot dog with upstate New York mustard tradition.
The Beer
Middle Ages Brewing Wailing Wench
Middle Ages Brewing Co. · Syracuse, NY
Middle Ages is the most locally specific craft at NBT Bank Stadium.
Empire Brewing Company White Aphro
Empire Brewing Co. · Syracuse, NY
Empire Brewing has a park presence with white ale and seasonal rotation.
Ommegang Brewery Witte
Brewery Ommegang · Cooperstown, NY
Ommegang, the Cooperstown NY craft brewery with Belgian heritage.
Bud Light
Anheuser-Busch
Volume beer throughout.
Sun & Weather Guide
Standard upstate conditions
Syracuse summer day games have standard upstate New York conditions.
Salt City evenings — pleasant
Syracuse summer evenings are among the most comfortable in the IL Northeast.
Late June-August — fresh potatoes available
Salt potatoes are a seasonal item available when new potatoes are fresh in Central New York.
Syracuse spring — cold through April
Syracuse is among the snowiest cities in the US. April baseball can be genuinely cold.
Exposed — Destiny USA visible beyond
Right field bleachers are exposed in afternoon games with Destiny USA mall visible.
Best afternoon shade profile
First base lower boxes develop shade from the grandstand structure.
Insider Tips
The One Thing
Eat salt potatoes. Small new potatoes boiled in brine until salt crystallises on the skin, served with melted butter. They are only authentic in Central New York.
Dinosaur BBQ
Get the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que brisket. The most nationally recognised restaurant from Syracuse.
Parking Reality
NBT Bank Stadium has adjacent parking lots. Most fans drive.
Best Value Seat
First base lower boxes — shade, good sight lines, Dinosaur BBQ accessible.
Pilgrim Stops Near Syracuse
Weird, wonderful, and worth the detour.
The Upside-Down Traffic Light
The only green-on-top traffic light in the United States. Irish immigrants on Tipperary Hill kept smashing the 'British red' above 'Irish green' until the city gave up and inverted it permanently.
Erie Canal Museum
Housed in the only surviving weighlock building in the country — where boats were literally weighed. The 1825 canal that connected the Great Lakes to New York City started here.
Erie Canal Museum Syracuse
The only surviving canal weighlock building in America, with a full-scale boat inside.
Plan your pilgrimage
Every Park a Pilgrimage.
Plan a baseball road trip through Syracuse and beyond.
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