Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- It’s been more than a month since the Chiefs played their last baseball game at home, but Alliance Bank Stadium is still a busy place. The baseball club, which is running the stadium year round now has a number of events going on this fall and into the winter.
The latest is a haunted house which might make you forget you’re in the underbelly of Alliance Bank Stadium. It’s just one way the team is taking full advantage of its opportunity under a new lease signed this year with the county to run the park year round.
“This stadium lends itself to a lot of things we want to do with the new video board, with the downstairs tunnel that we’ve always thought of doing a haunted mansion, to other thing in the facility during the offseason. We’re trying to do as much as we can, hopefully to make some money along the way and help pay the bills in the offseason,” said Chiefs General Manager John Simone.
Visitors can also go to the Hank Sauer Room, free of charge, and watch anything from NFL football games to SU basketball games on their million dollar, state-of-the-art, digital video board.
“When we bring people in for our watch parties for football they say, ‘Wow, we didn't know you were open.’ A lot of people have never been here before, so if anything, it’s introducing Central New Yorkers to the facility, believe it or not, who haven't been here, maybe they'll come back for a Chiefs game in April or May,” Simone said.
It looks like only the beginning of what they hope will be a jolt of energy into the aging ballpark in years to come.
The Carnevil of Chiefsville will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights for three consecutive weeks starting this week. Admission to the Haunted House is $10 per person and the ballpark will be open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. each night of the event.
