On December 4, 1961 the City and the Fair "cordially invited the Olympic Games Tryouts of 1964 to join with us in our own Olympics of Progress at the New York World's Fair in 1964 to emphasize and reinforce our parallel purposes of Peace through Understanding."

The City of New York's many practical advantages will be greatly enhanced by the completion in 1963 of the new Municipal Stadium.

The United States Olympic Committee has the City's invitation under study. A favorable answer is hoped for.

The Department of Parks is now supervising construction of the Stadium which will seat 55,000 for baseball and 60,000 for football. It can be enlarged by 25,000 more seats in the future without disturbing the initial construction; and a roof can be added. Ground was broken for the Stadium on October 28, 1961 with appropriate ceremonies.

The Stadium embraces a new concept of design with seats that rotate to face any part of the field. There will be no columns in the spectator's view. Every consideration has been given to the safety, convenience, comfort and pleasure of visitors. Many entrances and exits with ramps, escalators and elevators will permit easy access to seats regardless of the size of crowds.

The Stadium is in the center of a parking field for over 5,000 cars. Immediately adjacent is the Willets Point Boulevard station of the Flushing IRT subway line. A short distance further is the Long Island Rail Road. The new $110,000,000 parkway and expressway program under construction will provide easy access by automobile.

The new National League New York baseball team the "Mets" and the American Football League team the "Titans of New York" will call the Stadium their home. Many other large scale activities can be scheduled for open time.

The New York World's Fair is preparing programs for the Stadium during 1964-1965. There will be many events at the Stadium supplementing the educational exhibits and excitement of the Fair.

SOURCE: NY World's Fair Corporation Progress Report #4, January 17, 1962

Flushing Meadow Park Municipal Stadium under construction. Top is Flushing Bay, below IRT Flushing subway line.

SOURCE: NY World's Fair Corporation Progress Report #5, May 17, 1962

Steelwork for Flushing Meadow Park Municipal Stadium.

SOURCE: (above & below) NY World's Fair Corporation Progress Report #6, September 12, 1962

Detail of steelwork for stadium

Flushing Meadow Park Municipal Stadium now renamed the William A. Shea Stadium.

SOURCE: (above & below) NY World's Fair Corporation Progress Report #8, April 22, 1963

Shea Stadium nears completion in the upper left corner of this photo while construction of the Fair is in full swing.

Shea nears completion.

SOURCE: Unknown

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Board of Directors Meeting at William A. Shea Stadium

The administration of the New York World's Fair is very pleased to welcome the Board of Directors and friends to this meeting at the William A. Shea Stadium on September 26, 1963. It is appropriate that this future home of sports, so near to the greatest Fair of history, should be our meeting place. Side by side, the two projects went through years of planning; the Stadium even longer than the Fair. Flushing Meadow Park, conceived and created through long range vision, was the home of the Fair of 1939-1940, and will be the ultimate Central Park of Queens. At the geographic and population center of the City, the park is the natural site of a great municipal stadium, the home of the baseball Mets, the football Jets and of many outdoor spectacular productions. During the two Fair years the Stadium will be the scene of special Fair presentations. Shea Stadium, being built by the City Department of Parks, will have a seating capacity for 55,000 and can be expanded in the future to 80,00 without disturbance to the present structure. A movable roof for all-weather use can be added. Parking areas for over 5,000 cars surround the Stadium. Immediately adjacent are the IRT subway and Long Island Rail Road. The New York World's Fair takes this occasion to wish its neighbor a long and happy career. SOURCE: NY World's Fair Corporation Progress Report #9, September 26, 1963