Syracuse is the county seat of Onondaga County, New York and, with a population of 145,170, is the 5th most populated city in the state of New York and the 170th largest city in the United States. The metropolitan area has a population of about 742,603. Syracuse is the economic and educational core of Central New York, an area which is home to more than a million individuals. There are several convention sites situated in Syracuse, including a convention complex that is located downtown and the Empire Expo Center, which is located directly west of Syracuse and hosts the great New York Fair each and every year. The name of the city is derived from Siracusa, a city on the eastern coast of Sicily, an island in Italy.
The Onondaga Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy were the original residents on the lands that presently make up Syracuse. The Iroquois once had an alliance with the British, and were influential driving out French missionaries and traders. Some of the important historic events include the post-war granting of land to ex-officers of the Continental Army, the unearthing of salt in the mines nearby, and the completion of the Erie Canal, which occurred during the year 1825.
There has been a large exodus of industrial jobs in the region during the past few decades. A lot of the state and local government jobs have also been declining over the years. The most important employers which remain in Syracuse are mostly in the service industries and education. Because of the recent expansions by Upstate Medical University and Syracuse University and the development of numerous small medical office complexes, the University Hill neighborhood is expanding.
In the city of Syracuse, is a division of Time Warner Cable, in addition to a Bristol-Myers Squibb complex near the district of Eastwood. The company was founded by Hamilton College graduates.
There are really few large companies in the city of Syracuse. Most of the businesses of Syracuse are small, which allows for a certain stability level. Amongst the top eleven employers within the city of Syracuse, eight are involved in the education or service industry. These businesses tend to be more stable than the manufacturing industries.
In the year 1963 the Opera Chorus of the Syracuse was founded. It became independent during 1973 and changed its name to the Syracuse Opera Company. As a general rule, three full operas are performed by the Syracuse Opera Company on a yearly basis. There are several free performances which are held each year in Thornden Park and Armory Square, along with some other places. The yearly budget for the company is US $1 million. The Syracuse Opera Company is the only professional company situated within upstate New York.
The Syracuse Shakespeare Festival was officially launched in the year 2002, as a charitable, not-for-profit corporation. Their goal is to display and portray the brilliant words of William Shakespeare. It is famous for its annual Shakespeare-in-the-Park program at Thornden Park Amphitheater, which is provided free of charge. Ever since its beginning, the Syracuse Shakespeare Festival has drawn over 17,000 people. There are three other major programs which SSF produces: Kids Doing Shakespeare, Avon Repertory Theatre and Shakespeare-Under-A-Roof.