Shea Stadium opened on April 17, 1964, in Flushing Meadows, Queens, as the home of the New York Mets and the NFL's New York Jets. With the Mets in a new ballpark adjacent to the World's Fair, Flushing became a mega attraction for tourists. Shea Stadium is located in the geographic and population center of New York City and since its opening it has drawn more than 73 million fans. Convenient access by train or car allows fans from all five boroughs to get to the ballpark easily. Over the years, Shea Stadium has hosted many other sports, entertainment, and cultural events. The Stadium has opened its gates to college and pro football, soccer, boxing, religious conventions, a visit from Pope John Paul II, numerous musical events and even the Ice Capades. An overwhelming crowd of 60,000 screaming Beatles fans packed the stadium for the first major outdoor stadium concert on August 15, 1965, followed by other rock and roll legends including the Rolling Stones, The Who, The Police, Simon & Garfunkel, Elton John and Eric Clapton. Shea also served as a relief center after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Most of the gate areas were filled with food, supplies and makeshift lodging for the massive rescue effort. Ten days later, on September 21, the Mets made a star-spangled return against the Atlanta Braves. On one of the proudest nights in Shea Stadium history, 41,275 fans attended the symbolic comeback for New York and its citizens. On November 13, 2006, Citigroup, the financial services company, and the New York Mets announced a partnership thatincludes the naming rights for Citi Field. The new Citi Field will open in 2009, replacing Shea Stadium as the home of the Mets. This retro ballpark, inspired by Ebbetts Field, is awaited with great anticipation by the Mets faithful. The package will consist of a book on the team and its history with a centerfold, detailed pop-up of the new stadium.
