Syracuse campus renovation plan might restrict Orange fan tailgating options

Chris Carlson checked in this week with a look into how the Syracuse University campus renovation plan is going to reorganize certain aspects of life in the region, specifically how it will affect tailgating before Syracuse Orange game.

Turns out that the already-iffy setup might get even more iffy.

The proposed plan would eliminate the Stadium, Standart and Fine parking lots. All three of those areas are currently prime tailgating areas around the Carrier Dome for football games.

Syracuse Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer Pete Sala said the proposal would replace those areas with a substantial parking garage located near the back of where the Standart and Fine Lots are currently located.

As Carlson puts it, it might come down to fans making a choice between convenient parking near the Dome without a full tailgate or open space for grilling and tailgating far away near South Campus. Right now SU allows fans to tailgate in the Irving Garage and University Avenue garage close to the Dome but grilling is not allowed.

Pete Sala said that the university is still reviewing feedback about their plans and that the school will continue to push for fans to tailgate at the Skytop lot or join the quad experience, which will be improved by then.

The good-ish news is that if and when these changes do happen, it's not going to be for a long time. The entire renovation plan is going to take 20 years and the parking lot changes are considered part of "Phase 3 or 4."

Ultimately, the university is thinking a lot bigger than how these changes will affect Saturday tailgating. But there's a reason fans have packed those lots in recent years. Skytop is nice, but its still a bus ride away. Having a full-on tailgating spot that's walkable to the game is the ideal situation and it sounds like that's not in the cards for the future.