Shea Stadium Information

Shea Stadium
123-01 Roosevelt Avenue • Flushing, NY 11368

William A. Shea Municipal Stadium or better yet Shea Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Flushing, New York. It is home to the New York Mets and is one of the oldest ballparks in the National League. It is scheduled to be replaced by Citi Field which is currently under construction.

Cit Field is scheduled to open by Opening Day 2009. Groundbreaking took place on November 13, 2006 for the new stadium. Citigroup, Inc. took a 20 year partnership that will be worth an average in excess of $20 million per year. Citi Field is planned to seat 45,000.

Shea Stadium opened on April 17, 1964. It is a circular stadium with the grandstand forming a perfect circle around the field and ending beyond the foul lines. Shea can also be converted into a football stadium using two motor operated stands that move on underground tracks. This hasn't been done since the New York Jets football team moved to Giants Stadium in 1984. After the Jets left, the stadium was painted blue and neon signs of player silhouettes were added. Shea Stadium is said to be one of the loudest in the Major Leagues due to airliners that fly overhead from LaGuardia Airport.

Shea Stadium has been home to the Mets since the opening in 1964, and that same year hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star game. The Yankees played their home games at Shea in 1974 and 1975 while Yankee Stadium was being renovated. They also played one home game at Shea in 1998 after a beam collapsed at Yankee Stadium destroying several rows of seats.

Shea Stadium has hosted postseason baseball games in 1969, 1973, 1986, 1988, 1999, 2000, and 2006. It has hosted the World Series in 1969, 1973, 1986, and 2000. In addition to being home of the Mets the stadium has also hosted some of the most significant concerts in music history like when The Beatles opened their 1965 North American tour to an audience of 56,000 or Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, the Police, Eric Clapton, Elton John, The Who, The Rolling Stones, and many more!

Shea Stadium is located adjacent to the Corona neighborhood in the New York City Borough of Queens. The stadium can be reached by the NYC subway, in addition to several highways including the Grand Central Parkway, the Long Island Expressway, and Northern Boulevard.

Upcoming Events
New York Mets

Shea Stadium 2007 Specials

April Specials: Opening Day Magnetic Schedule, Growth Chart, Luggage Tag, Calendar
May Specials: Senior Stroll, Collectors Cup, Flashlight, Mother's Day Visor, Gift Card, Cap Trade, Popcorn Night
June Specials: Wiffle Bat & Ball, Cap, Visor, Mr. Met T-Shirt, Paul Lo Duca Bobblehead
July Specials: Kids T-Shirt, Ralph Kiner Night, Military Appreciation Day/Cap, Mr. Met Dash, Merengue Night, Travel Mug, Seat Cushion
August Specials: T-Shirt, David Wright Jersey Bag, Sports Bag, Mr. Met Dash, Fiesta Latina, Build-A-Bear Workshop®, Batting Helmet
September Specials: Fleece Blanket, Take HER out to the Ballgame, Bucket Cap, Long-sleeved T-Shirt, Mr. Met Dash, Topps 2007 Baseball Card Set

Concessions
Shea Stadium offers traditional ballpark eats including New York style Sicilian pizza, onion rings, ice cream, Nathan's famous hot dogs, fries, gourmet sandwiches, garden salads, antipasto, Italian pastries, donuts, coffee, hot lattes, Subway, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, and more!

Weather
Like the rest of the Northeast, New York can have wet, chilly springs, and day games in the summer can be scorchers. Shea usually doesn't get as hot as midtown, however, so this is often the perfect place to be on a stifling summer afternoon.

Parking
About 8,000 spaces are available in stadium parking. For heavy crowds, secondary lots are opened across Roosevelt Avenue. Very limited on-street parking is within walking distance, but vandalism makes it inadvisable.

Shea Stadium Seating Chart

(Click for Larger view of Venue)

Directions
Subway: The #7 IRT Flushing Line Subway: Services Shea Stadium at the Willets Point / Shea Stadium station and makes stops at Times Square, Fifth Avenue and Grand Central Station in Manhattan.
Via E, F, G, or R Trains: Connections to the #7 can be made at the 74th Street / Roosevelt Avenue (Jackson Heights) stop. Take #7 to Willets Point / Shea Stadium station.
Via N Train: Change at Queensboro Plaza for the #7. Take the #7 to Willets Point / Shea Stadium station. Complete New York City Subway Map (requires Adobe Acrobat)

Manhattan: Take the Triborough Bridge to Grand Central Parkway to Northern Boulevard/Shea Stadium Exit OR Queens Midtown Tunnel to Long Island Expressway to either Van Wyck Expressway (N) or Grand Central Parkway (W) to Shea Stadium Exit.

Brooklyn & Queens: Take the Eastbound B.Q.E. to the Eastbound Grand Central Parkway to the Northern Boulevard/Shea Stadium Exit - OR - Take the Eastbound Belt Parkway to the Northbound Van Wyck Expressway. Take the Northern Boulevard West Exit to Shea Stadium Exit .

Tips

Prepare for the weather, it could change
Know how to get to and from the stadium
Arrive early
Remember which parking lot you are in
Bring some extra cash
DON’T forget your tickets!

Buy your New York Mets tickets today.

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