Shea Stadium
Park Former New York Mets stadium demolished in 2009
Former Major League Baseball stadium in Flushing Meadows, Shea Stadium is visited for sports history and its site in Queens, remembered as the Mets’ home from 1964 to 2008.
Shea Stadium was a multiuse stadium in Flushing, Queens, New York, that served as the home of the New York Mets from 1964 to 2008. It was named after baseball promoter William Shea and was a major sports venue for several decades.
During its operational years the stadium offered a large seating bowl for baseball and hosted concerts and other large-scale events, with a seating capacity in the range of tens of thousands. After the Mets moved to the adjacent Citi Field, Shea Stadium was decommissioned and subsequently demolished.
The stadium opened in 1964 to provide a permanent home for the expansion New York Mets and later hosted a range of sporting and entertainment events; it closed after the 2008 season and was demolished in 2009. The site was redeveloped in connection with the new ballpark and surrounding facilities.
Located in the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park area of Queens, the former stadium site lies within New York City’s borough of Queens, near major road and subway connections to Manhattan and beyond.
- Dates and status: Opened in 1964 and closed after the 2008 baseball season; the structure was demolished in 2009 and the site is now redeveloped as part of the Citi Field complex area.
- Primary use: Home stadium of the New York Mets from 1964 through 2008 and a venue for major concerts and events during its operation.
How to Get to Shea Stadium #
The former Shea Stadium site is in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens (the Mets now play at nearby Citi Field). The quickest public-transit access is the NYC Subway 7 train to Mets-Willets Point; on weekends and event days the Long Island Rail Road also serves Mets-Willets Point from Penn Station. By car use the Grand Central Parkway or I‑678 (Van Wyck Expressway) to reach parking around the park; driving distance from Midtown Manhattan is roughly 10-12 miles. From Mets-Willets Point station the site is a few minutes’ walk.
Best Time to Visit Shea Stadium #
Shea Stadium no longer exists; visit the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park/Citi Field area in spring or autumn for pleasant conditions and moderate crowds.
Weather & Climate near Shea Stadium #
Temperate climate with warm summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -4°C to 29°C. Abundant rainfall (1134 mm/year), wettest in August, distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.
January
January is the coldest month with highs of 4°C and lows of -4°C. Regular rainfall (89 mm).
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February
February is cold with highs of 5°C and lows of -3°C. Moderate rainfall (75 mm).
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March
March is cold with highs of 10°C and lows of 1°C. Significant rainfall (103 mm).
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April
April is cool with highs of 16°C and lows of 6°C. Regular rainfall (96 mm).
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May
May is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 11°C. Significant rainfall (104 mm).
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June
June is mild with highs of 26°C and lows of 16°C. Regular rainfall (84 mm).
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July
July is the warmest month with highs of 29°C and lows of 20°C. Significant rainfall (105 mm).
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August
August is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 19°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (109 mm).
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September
September is mild with highs of 24°C and lows of 15°C. Regular rainfall (94 mm).
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October
October is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 9°C. Regular rainfall (85 mm).
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November
November is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of 4°C. Regular rainfall (98 mm).
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December
December is cold with highs of 7°C and lows of -1°C. Regular rainfall (92 mm).
