Stadium on the Waterfront

[C-zone Umpa]

It amazes me that, actually it don't w/ our politicians, our stadium is not on the waterfront! I truly do not understand why this was never a priority. If anyone has ever been to Chicago, Cleveland or any other damn lakeside city they would appreciate the frustration here. It is nauseating that there are historic battle ships sitting in a harbor w/ a delapitated grainmill next to them falling w/ time. Not to mention the ten other mills scattered and tainting that waterfront. Hey but some idiots in Hamburg are worried bout the wind mills. We have a gorgeous waterfront w/ nature reserve and a damn thruway along it. The old Freezer Queen plant is rotting along w/ (I believe its vacant) the cement plant, the old Fr Baker's, and many other rotting concrete eyesores. I understand the concept of cost and the damn state goverment's fiscal irresponsibility and not to mention the only reason the Bills are profitable is due to the fact that Ralph owes nothing on the stadium now but come on. They're screaming to develop the waterfront well hell.............why wouldn't you use the heart of this area to build off of?? My Sunday morning coffee frustration!

[BfloBillsFan]

It amazes me that, actually it don't w/ our politicians, our stadium is not on the waterfront! I truly do not understand why this was never a priority. If anyone has ever been to Chicago, Cleveland or any other damn lakeside city they would appreciate the frustration here. It is nauseating that there are historic battle ships sitting in a harbor w/ a delapitated grainmill next to them falling w/ time. Not to mention the ten other mills scattered and tainting that waterfront. Hey but some idiots in Hamburg are worried bout the wind mills. We have a gorgeous waterfront w/ nature reserve and a damn thruway along it. The old Freezer Queen plant is rotting along w/ (I believe its vacant) the cement plant, the old Fr Baker's, and many other rotting concrete eyesores. I understand the concept of cost and the damn state goverment's fiscal irresponsibility and not to mention the only reason the Bills are profitable is due to the fact that Ralph owes nothing on the stadium now but come on. They're screaming to develop the waterfront well hell.............why wouldn't you use the heart of this area to build off of?? My Sunday morning coffee frustration!

 

Agree, new stadium would be a great catalyst in developing the waterfront, but for so many reasons (mostly cost) do not see it happening.

[Bills(70)]

The water front stadium idea isn't new. Back in the day the water front was mainly industry.

The redevelopment of the water front has only taken shape in the last 35 years or so as an idea into what has been implemented so far.

 

But, you hang that idea up. As sad a day as it will be I think you and many other fans need to come to the realization that the Bills will not be in Buffalo beyond at the most, a decade.

 

This area continues to shrink in population, there are much larger markets out there. The NFL hay day in Buffalo is over I'm afraid. The writing is on the wall and no politician, no local businessman is going to change this.

 

So, to sum it up, why even consider a water front stadium when the team won't be here to play in it anyways.

[GaryPinC]

It amazes me that, actually it don't w/ our politicians, our stadium is not on the waterfront! I truly do not understand why this was never a priority. If anyone has ever been to Chicago, Cleveland or any other damn lakeside city they would appreciate the frustration here. It is nauseating that there are historic battle ships sitting in a harbor w/ a delapitated grainmill next to them falling w/ time. Not to mention the ten other mills scattered and tainting that waterfront. Hey but some idiots in Hamburg are worried bout the wind mills. We have a gorgeous waterfront w/ nature reserve and a damn thruway along it. The old Freezer Queen plant is rotting along w/ (I believe its vacant) the cement plant, the old Fr Baker's, and many other rotting concrete eyesores. I understand the concept of cost and the damn state goverment's fiscal irresponsibility and not to mention the only reason the Bills are profitable is due to the fact that Ralph owes nothing on the stadium now but come on. They're screaming to develop the waterfront well hell.............why wouldn't you use the heart of this area to build off of?? My Sunday morning coffee frustration!

Right on. Cleveland also underutilizes its waterfront, the problem is we have a freaking airport occupying most of our prime lakefront. People are trying to move it, the problem is they'd have to pay the US govt a ton of money to move it/shut it down. The recent Continental/United merger may end Cleveland Hopkins' status as a hub airport and reduce airline traffic, ironically it might allow airtraffic from the lakefront to be redirected to Hopkins and free up the land for the city to develop

 

Buffalo would help themselves tremendously putting more effort into their waterfront. As much as people complain/degrade cities like Cleveland and Buffalo, it always amazes me they fail to maximize their most valuable asset, the lakefront. At least Chicago gets it right.

[joemac]

The water front stadium idea isn't new. Back in the day the water front was mainly industry.

The redevelopment of the water front has only taken shape in the last 35 years or so as an idea into what has been implemented so far.

 

But, you hang that idea up. As sad a day as it will be I think you and many other fans need to come to the realization that the Bills will not be in Buffalo beyond at the most, a decade.

 

This area continues to shrink in population, there are much larger markets out there. The NFL hay day in Buffalo is over I'm afraid. The writing is on the wall and no politician, no local businessman is going to change this.

 

So, to sum it up, why even consider a water front stadium when the team won't be here to play in it anyways.

I read the naysayers on a new stadium in Buffalo and I am always frustrated. Buffalo, has become a town that seems to be too focused on its past and concluded that it can do nothing about its future. The future of Buffalo is in its people, in a city with such great people, the only draw back I see is the fatalism of the residents. Instead of lamenting what has been lost, maybe Buffalo should look at the future and take charge of it, rather than just let it happen.

Buffalo specifically, and the region in general have tremendous assets and should be looking at ways to use the lake, the river, hell even the weather to build a Buffalo back into a vibrant city. Also, don't forget the tremendous asset in UB and other schools in the vicinity. Cold weather cities can be great places, think not about the past, but how to make the future better.

[GaryPinC]

I read the naysayers on a new stadium in Buffalo and I am always frustrated. Buffalo, has become a town that seems to be too focused on its past and concluded that it can do nothing about its future. The future of Buffalo is in its people, in a city with such great people, the only draw back I see is the fatalism of the residents. Instead of lamenting what has been lost, maybe Buffalo should look at the future and take charge of it, rather than just let it happen.

Buffalo specifically, and the region in general have tremendous assets and should be looking at ways to use the lake, the river, hell even the weather to build a Buffalo back into a vibrant city. Also, don't forget the tremendous asset in UB and other schools in the vicinity. Cold weather cities can be great places, think not about the past, but how to make the future better.

 

Don't underestimate the entrenched local political system either. The attitude of the people reflects the tone set by the local govt. As I've gotten older I realize how much this can kill a city. In a depressed area, local politicians wield the power of guaranteed jobs and have long standing networks of nepotism, favoritism, and patronage. They are entrenched and thus favor maintaining the status quo, as bringing in new, diverse businesses could disrupt their power base.

 

The FBI has a major effort to take down some of the worst offenders in the Cleveland local govt. I only pray that it enables a better system or people to take its place.

[DarthICE]

I see, so where in these really bad economic times are the funds going to come from for a 700 mill to 1 Billion stadium? I mean the Bills have to constantly have the cheapest tickets, no stadium naming rights and cheapest luxury suites just so the folks can come to the game.

 

You do realize that ticket prices much to up drastically to support the new stadium right? Bottom line WNY cant afford it.

[MarkyMannn]

Waterfront stadium sucks. 9-10 times a year it is used. After that how does it attract any one? Drive by the Ralph today and see what is happening. Nothing.

[Skoobydum]

Waterfront stadium sucks. 9-10 times a year it is used. After that how does it attract any one? Drive by the Ralph today and see what is happening. Nothing.

Events / Natural beauty, shame it's not happened yet.

[DarthICE]

Events / Natural beauty, shame it's not happened yet.

 

 

How is it going to be paid for? Who in WNY is going to be able to afford the tickets? Reality has to set in at some point.

[JPS]

Waterfront stadium sucks. 9-10 times a year it is used. After that how does it attract any one? Drive by the Ralph today and see what is happening. Nothing.

Concerts, soccer, lacrosse, local college and even high school sports. It's about showing the rest of the country your best attribute....the waterfront. A properly placed stadium makes the city look better. Look at Pittsburgh!

[CodeMonkey]

Yeah, taxpayers should spend millions of dollars on a waterfront stadium to make Buffalo "look better" on TV the 8 (excuse me, 7) times a year a football game is televised. Don't spend that energy or money on trying to bring Buffalo into the 20th century by getting out of the manufacturing rut that put the city in it's current condition in the first place.

 

Yeah a waterfront stadium will fix everything wrong with Buffalo.

[spartacus]

How is it going to be paid for? Who in WNY is going to be able to afford the tickets? Reality has to set in at some point.

 

who is going to use the stadium -

 

after the new owner moves the team out of town to a location with corporate base that can afford luxury boxes?

[tennesseeboy]

Tjhe missed opportunities for waterfront development are legion. The University of Buffalo could have put what is now its "Amherst Campus" there which would have created a vibrant downtown. The stadium could have been built there with top flight college and pro football being played there as well. Remember that when UB gave up Div. 1 football in the 60's they had players like Jerry Philbin and John Stofa.

 

I could have seen the new law school in the Ellicott Building, and lots of creative industry coming into Buffalo. Some very bad decisions were made.

[K Gun Special]

How is it going to be paid for? Who in WNY is going to be able to afford the tickets? Reality has to set in at some point.

 

 

theres $$ here, people could afford it.

 

IF the bills were a winning team and charged 15-20 more a ticket you'd be surprised how quickly people would find money. Theres a lot of economic depression in the area but there are also lots of people who have money.

[Glass To The Arson]

Buffalo is happy the way it is. It will never change. The population won't change - no new skyscrapers will ever come up - nothing.

 

Buffalo is pretty much Toledo, OH in comparison

 

except we have the Bills

[Bufcomments]

I have always liked to see a dome stadium built downtown, they have the land to do it and would be a natural home field advantage. Play you can have major sporting events like the NCAA's among other things like High school and College championship games.

 

If they would have built the casino downtown( nice try Senecas) there would have to be more shops and major Food chains would come in.

 

We will never see it happen but Buffalo needs something downtown than bigger than a dumb Bass Pro...or Brass rookies as I like to call them.

[nero47]

Came visiting last year. I used to work for Erie County Savings on Main St. downtown before the lightrail to Amherst (late '70s). What a disappointing mess? The Main St. mall used to be full of good stores. There was AM&A's, Hengerers and other stores. Somewhere between the early '80s and now, it all died.

 

The original plans for the light rail included a glass covered corridor on Main throughout a major portion of downtown to protect the users from rain and snow.( Temperature contolled - obviously that did not happen).

 

The major steel and automotive related industries moved out, as well as others. Only most of it was because of government moves. ( environment, taxes, etc.) Not Unions this time. We once had a highly productive workforce that compensated for higher wages. ( More production kept price per item down while increasing wages ).

 

Unfortunately the city never capitalized on being a distribution and service centered area to compensate. If Buffalo or NYS are ever going to recover you must dump all politicians wit 6 or more years of total govt service and drop your tax structure to bring back industries, otherwise economic prosperity will never return.

[purple haze]

Waterfront stadium sucks. 9-10 times a year it is used. After that how does it attract any one? Drive by the Ralph today and see what is happening. Nothing.

 

The stadium wouldn't be the only thing on the waterfront. Put a stadium down there, a multi-plex, shops, restaurants a new convention center, etc... Build some of these things into the stadium. In DC the Verizon Center has shops and restaurants attached to and inside of the arena. Same at Yankee Stadium. Build Restaurants and clubs into the stadium, charge a fee for parking etc...

[K Gun Special]

there is far too much bickering in the city. Ive lived all over the country but only in B-lo will a major project be held up by a vocal minority. IN other cities people get together and work out the differences to move a project forward. Here, everyone has to have their hand in the game. Its ridiculous.

 

People need to stfu and get something done. Peace bridge.... no bc the west side is too important.......... waterfront... no its not historical enough?