Syracuse is the county seat of Onondaga County, New York and, with a population of 145,170, is the 5th most populated city in New York and the 170th biggest city in the nation. The metropolitan area has a population of about 742,603. The city of Syracuse is the educational and economic core of Central New York, a region that is home to more than a million people. There are numerous convention places situated in Syracuse, including a convention complex downtown and the Empire Expo Center, that 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 Italian island.
Initially, the land where the city of Syracuse sits was occupied by the Onondaga Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy. The Iroquois had an alliance along with the British, causing them to drive out the initial French missionaries and traders who arrived. Some of the significant historic events include the post-war granting of land to the Continental Army ex-officers, the unearthing of salt in the mines nearby, and the completion of the Erie Canal, which happened during the year 1825.
There has been a big exodus of industrial jobs within the area during the last few decades. Many of the local and state government jobs have also been declining during the years. The most essential employers which remain within the city are mostly within the service industries and education. Because of the recent expansions by Upstate Medical University and Syracuse University and the development of several small medical office complexes, the neighborhood of University Hill 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 big businesses within Syracuse. Most of the companies of Syracuse are small, that allows for a some level of stability. Out of the top eleven businesses within the city of Syracuse, eight are involved in the education or service industry. These businesses have a tendency to be more stable compared to the manufacturing businesses.
In 1963 the Opera Chorus of the Syracuse was founded. It became independent in 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 and every year within Armory Square and Thornden Park, along with some other places. The company's annual budget is US $1 million. The Syracuse Opera Company is the only professional company within upstate New York.
The Syracuse Shakespeare Festival was launched officially in 2002, as a not-for-profit, charitable business. Their goal is to display and portray the brilliant words of William Shakespeare. It is renowned for its yearly Shakespeare-in-the-Park program at Thornden Park Amphitheater, which is offered for free. Ever since its beginning, the Syracuse Shakespeare Festival has attracted over 17,000 people. There are three other major programs that SSF produces: Kids Doing Shakespeare, Avon Repertory Theatre and Shakespeare-Under-A-Roof.