What A Stadium In Niagara Falls Would Look Like

[BiggieScooby]

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aFauB8KNc_k8rGiuOHLTig?feat=directlink

 

 

Always liked Lucas Oil Stadium and was wondering what it would look like in downtown Niagara Falls. Slapped together using http://www.splashup.com/ a great photoshop alternative online.

Edited June 30, 2011 by BiggieScooby

[SF Bills Fan]

I agree that a new stadium should be built up in that area (if not downtown Buffalo), but I think they would likely put it out by the 190/Niagara Expy near the Falls Airport. There is more land there for it and it would be more convenient to get to for people driving from Buffalo etc.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

I still think it should span over the falls so canadians and americans could enter without customs :-)

[Scrappy]

Awesome.

[Homey D. Clown]

If a stadium should be built anywhere it should be downtown on the waterfront. It makes very little sense to me to build a stadium anywhere else. The buffalo waterfront could really use a world class domed facility, and the peace bridge project could be bundled with this concept in mind. The Bills are Buffalo's asset, why improve another cities downtown area when Buffalo itself needs it just as badly?

 

I don't see why this keeps coming up so often when this team's only selling point for keeping the team in WNY to a new owner is a fully paid for facility that has been maintained by the county.

[PromoTheRobot]

If they do build at the Falls it should be as close to the Rainbow Bridge as possible for a number of reasons. 1) So that Canadians can tailgate on their side then walk to the stadium 2) The stadium should be part of a larger complex with a hotel/convention center/entertainment complex. It should be all tied into the Falls tourist area. If you built it along the 190 you might as well build it in Batavia or keep it in Orchard Park.

 

To respond to McKinley's point...You build at the Falls to create a tourist attraction that is part of the famous Niagara Falls. Why? To be able to generate more income. As Ralph says, there is no more local money to get. Any new money needs to come from outside WNY: from Toronto or tourism. Building in downtown Buffalo would do little to develop the city. Look at HSBC arena. What impact has that building had on development?

 

PTR

Edited July 1, 2011 by PromoTheRobot

[Homey D. Clown]

If they do build at the Falls it should be as close to the Rainbow Bridge as possible for a number of reasons. 1) So that Canadians can tailgate on their side then walk to the stadium 2) The stadium should be part of a larger complex with a hotel/convention center/entertainment complex. It should be all tied into the Falls tourist area. If you built it along the 190 you might as well build it in Batavia or keep it in Orchard Park.

 

To respond to McKinley's point...You build at the Falls to create a tourist attraction that is part of the famous Niagara Falls. Why? To be able to generate more income. As Ralph says, there is no more local money to get. Any new money needs to come from outside WNY: from Toronto or tourism. Building in downtown Buffalo would do little to develop the city. Look at HSBC arena. What impact has that building had on development?

 

PTR

 

 

Thats a good point, but given the state of Buffalo's convention venue I just see it as something that is just as sorely needed in the Buffalo downtown district as well(your multicomplex idea) if not this type of idea to help Bufflao, then you have to begin thinking that Niagara Falls is a more worthy district and BUffalo left to continue to decay simply because it's not as close to toronto or has a view of the falling water, I just don't see it that way. There's simply nothing being done to make the downtown area a destination for anything and I don't see why people are quick to write it off.

[KollegeStudnet]

I'm for NF stadium...if it happens I hope it looks similar to what the Vikings just proposed recently!

 

http://www.vikings.com/stadium/new-stadium.html

[bills1960]

I've said it a million times, a stadium ensures Bills football in the area for a long time. The organization should pursue that goal and stop acting like the Ralph is on par with other NFL teams. Yes I understand that it gets the job done but that's no longer good enough for this league.

[PromoTheRobot]

Thats a good point, but given the state of Buffalo's convention venue I just see it as something that is just as sorely needed in the Buffalo downtown district as well(your multicomplex idea) if not this type of idea to help Bufflao, then you have to begin thinking that Niagara Falls is a more worthy district and BUffalo left to continue to decay simply because it's not as close to toronto or has a view of the falling water, I just don't see it that way. There's simply nothing being done to make the downtown area a destination for anything and I don't see why people are quick to write it off.

My support for a NF complex has zippo to do with what city I think deserves a bump. It has to do with building off tourism. Right now the Canadian side of the Falls is where the action is. But NF CAN will never have an NFL team. On game days the US side will be the place to be.

 

But then you can host other events: a college bowl game, a Final Four, Frozen Four, major concerts, a stadium NHL game between the Leafs and Sabres, and (dare I dream it???) A SUPER BOWL!! Then on non-event days you develop an "NFL Experience" type of attraction, stadium tours, a Bills museum, etc. All this just steps away from one of the natural wonders of the world.

 

What you want to create is a synergy between the two side of the Falls. You can't ignore all that is happening on the CAN side. It's almost like a mini-Vegas. You want to be close to that while developing your own attractions. Plus imagine the sex appeal to prospective free agents visiting the Bills.

 

PTR

[Bufcomments]

My support for a NF complex has zippo to do with what city I think deserves a bump. It has to do with building off tourism. Right now the Canadian side of the Falls is where the action is. But NF CAN will never have an NFL team. On game days the US side will be the place to be.

 

But then you can host other events: a college bowl game, a Final Four, Frozen Four, major concerts, a stadium NHL game between the Leafs and Sabres, and (dare I dream it???) A SUPER BOWL!! Then on non-event days you develop an "NFL Experience" type of attraction, stadium tours, a Bills museum, etc. All this just steps away from one of the natural wonders of the world.

 

What you want to create is a synergy between the two side of the Falls. You can't ignore all that is happening on the CAN side. It's almost like a mini-Vegas. You want to be close to that while developing your own attractions. Plus imagine the sex appeal to prospective free agents visiting the Bills.

 

PTR

You make some excellent points. I would love to see a stadium in NF. Has to be open air. Can you imagine the mist from the Falls in the air on Monday night football ?

 

The Falls needs a shot in the arm and the stadium would at the very least create some jobs in the area.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aFauB8KNc_k8rGiuOHLTig?feat=directlink

 

 

Always liked Lucas Oil Stadium and was wondering what it would look like in downtown Niagara Falls. Slapped together using http://www.splashup.com/ a great photoshop alternative online.

 

Looks cool to me but trying to get these clowns (politicians) to re do the water front has been 60 years in the making and probably wont happen.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

My support for a NF complex has zippo to do with what city I think deserves a bump. It has to do with building off tourism. Right now the Canadian side of the Falls is where the action is. But NF CAN will never have an NFL team. On game days the US side will be the place to be.

 

But then you can host other events: a college bowl game, a Final Four, Frozen Four, major concerts, a stadium NHL game between the Leafs and Sabres, and (dare I dream it???) A SUPER BOWL!! Then on non-event days you develop an "NFL Experience" type of attraction, stadium tours, a Bills museum, etc. All this just steps away from one of the natural wonders of the world.

 

What you want to create is a synergy between the two side of the Falls. You can't ignore all that is happening on the CAN side. It's almost like a mini-Vegas. You want to be close to that while developing your own attractions. Plus imagine the sex appeal to prospective free agents visiting the Bills.

 

PTR

 

As long as they call them them Buffalo Bills NF is good to me. I got it, since we have been down sizing government with eliminating villages from towns one more down size can be done by merging the two cities together and there wont be a controversy of where to put the team. :D

 

You make some excellent points. I would love to see a stadium in NF. Has to be open air. Can you imagine the mist from the Falls in the air on Monday night football ?

 

The Falls needs a shot in the arm and the stadium would at the very least create some jobs in the area.

Retractable dome, ya couldn't make it a multiplex Arena if it was open air.

Edited July 1, 2011 by Buffalo Barbarian

[Zulu Cthulhu]

The idea makes too much sense, clearly it will never happen. All of promo's points are spot-on.

[Bill from NYC]

My support for a NF complex has zippo to do with what city I think deserves a bump. It has to do with building off tourism. Right now the Canadian side of the Falls is where the action is. But NF CAN will never have an NFL team. On game days the US side will be the place to be.

 

But then you can host other events: a college bowl game, a Final Four, Frozen Four, major concerts, a stadium NHL game between the Leafs and Sabres, and (dare I dream it???) A SUPER BOWL!! Then on non-event days you develop an "NFL Experience" type of attraction, stadium tours, a Bills museum, etc. All this just steps away from one of the natural wonders of the world.

 

What you want to create is a synergy between the two side of the Falls. You can't ignore all that is happening on the CAN side. It's almost like a mini-Vegas. You want to be close to that while developing your own attractions. Plus imagine the sex appeal to prospective free agents visiting the Bills.

 

PTR

 

This is tough to argue with.

[Homey D. Clown]

My support for a NF complex has zippo to do with what city I think deserves a bump. It has to do with building off tourism. Right now the Canadian side of the Falls is where the action is. But NF CAN will never have an NFL team. On game days the US side will be the place to be.

 

But then you can host other events: a college bowl game, a Final Four, Frozen Four, major concerts, a stadium NHL game between the Leafs and Sabres, and (dare I dream it???) A SUPER BOWL!! Then on non-event days you develop an "NFL Experience" type of attraction, stadium tours, a Bills museum, etc. All this just steps away from one of the natural wonders of the world.

 

What you want to create is a synergy between the two side of the Falls. You can't ignore all that is happening on the CAN side. It's almost like a mini-Vegas. You want to be close to that while developing your own attractions. Plus imagine the sex appeal to prospective free agents visiting the Bills.

 

PTR

 

 

I can't argue with this logic, and it's exactly what the NF area could benefit from, but what then does the city of Buffalo get left with? How then can the city benefit from the team that bears it's name when it clearly has very little to draw visitors? I can't compete with the falls idea. but I see a very similar concept working for downtown Buffalo, where a very beautiful waterfront, shopping, extended access via subway, and expand the subway rail system to outlying areas, and allow the stadium to revive other railway landmarks.

 

Since the falls is trying to develop the area as a gambling destination, I can't agree with adding all the above mentioned attractions to that area when continued casino and resort area development could be the reason to visit, and your concept of hosting finals, superbowls and other high profile events becomes the reason you visit Buffalo. The drive into the Buffalo area on the canadian side is wide open and not very long relatively speaking when you are coming in from Toronto. The city of Buffalo sorely needs all the reasons you mentioned to help bolster it's economy, and reason to visit as opposed to not developing a pretty nice view of the lake.

 

My vision sees more recreational use of the waterfront along with the prospect of having a venue that could draw tons of other attractions. People and players would have a reason to want to play for a city where they can work and play in a very useful natural resource. So sum up because we have the same views for each city that we are supporting here is that I think the falls area already has something to build on, where the Buffalo downtown district needs something bigger to develop a new identity.

[Mickey]

That is a nice idea that would make for some nice post cards and all but it would be a nightmare to get there.

 

I still want a stadium closer to Syracuse and Rochester built on the quarry in the Batavia area. It should be open at the corners where the rockface of the quarry would be visible so as to utilize that feature as a backdrop. And of course, it should be called the "Rockpile" in honor of their first stadium and because it would literally be built in a rockpile. Imagine the acoustics of a stadium built in side of a quarry. Opposing teams wouldn't be able to hear a thing, not even through the headphone helmets. And that location would have direct rail access so you could take a train right to the game. It would also fit the regional concept as it would be no further from Buffalo than Orchard Park but would be a good hour or so given game day traffic to Syracuse, Rochester, Utica and Albany and all the small towns in and around those areas.

[SouthernMan]

My support for a NF complex has zippo to do with what city I think deserves a bump. It has to do with building off tourism. Right now the Canadian side of the Falls is where the action is. But NF CAN will never have an NFL team. On game days the US side will be the place to be.

 

But then you can host other events: a college bowl game, a Final Four, Frozen Four, major concerts, a stadium NHL game between the Leafs and Sabres, and (dare I dream it???) A SUPER BOWL!! Then on non-event days you develop an "NFL Experience" type of attraction, stadium tours, a Bills museum, etc. All this just steps away from one of the natural wonders of the world.

 

What you want to create is a synergy between the two side of the Falls. You can't ignore all that is happening on the CAN side. It's almost like a mini-Vegas. You want to be close to that while developing your own attractions. Plus imagine the sex appeal to prospective free agents visiting the Bills.

 

PTR

 

Great posts PTR. As long as there is ample tailgating space, I'm all for a NF site. It makes more economic sense than anything else. It's a shame the falls and the NYS border aren't configured in such a way that an open-ended stadium could have a view to the falls. (Giant mirrors on the Canadian side of the gorge?)

 

Looking on the bright side, in another 10,000 years or so, the American falls should be really close to the parking lot. I'll bet that happens before the Peace Bridge thing is resolved.

Edited July 1, 2011 by DML2005

[PromoTheRobot]

That is a nice idea that would make for some nice post cards and all but it would be a nightmare to get there.

 

I still want a stadium closer to Syracuse and Rochester built on the quarry in the Batavia area. It should be open at the corners where the rockface of the quarry would be visible so as to utilize that feature as a backdrop. And of course, it should be called the "Rockpile" in honor of their first stadium and because it would literally be built in a rockpile. Imagine the acoustics of a stadium built in side of a quarry. Opposing teams wouldn't be able to hear a thing, not even through the headphone helmets. And that location would have direct rail access so you could take a train right to the game. It would also fit the regional concept as it would be no further from Buffalo than Orchard Park but would be a good hour or so given game day traffic to Syracuse, Rochester, Utica and Albany and all the small towns in and around those areas.

I don't understand why everyone thinks the Falls is so hard to get to. It has just as many access roads as Orchard park does: I-190, Rt 62, Rt. 104, and River Rd. to name a few.

 

PTR

[PromoTheRobot]

I can't argue with this logic, and it's exactly what the NF area could benefit from, but what then does the city of Buffalo get left with? How then can the city benefit from the team that bears it's name when it clearly has very little to draw visitors? I can't compete with the falls idea. but I see a very similar concept working for downtown Buffalo, where a very beautiful waterfront, shopping, extended access via subway, and expand the subway rail system to outlying areas, and allow the stadium to revive other railway landmarks.

 

Since the falls is trying to develop the area as a gambling destination, I can't agree with adding all the above mentioned attractions to that area when continued casino and resort area development could be the reason to visit, and your concept of hosting finals, superbowls and other high profile events becomes the reason you visit Buffalo. The drive into the Buffalo area on the canadian side is wide open and not very long relatively speaking when you are coming in from Toronto. The city of Buffalo sorely needs all the reasons you mentioned to help bolster it's economy, and reason to visit as opposed to not developing a pretty nice view of the lake.

 

My vision sees more recreational use of the waterfront along with the prospect of having a venue that could draw tons of other attractions. People and players would have a reason to want to play for a city where they can work and play in a very useful natural resource. So sum up because we have the same views for each city that we are supporting here is that I think the falls area already has something to build on, where the Buffalo downtown district needs something bigger to develop a new identity.

Let me ask you this: What does the city of Buffalo get out of the Bills now? The team plays in the county. Now Erie County would lose out if a new stadium was built in Niagara County. But once the lease is done they can't stop it.

 

As far as developing Buffalo as a tourist destination, you are starting from zero. Actually you are starting from less than zero because you have to overcome the negative rep the name "Buffalo" carries. You could build Disneyland at the Buffalo waterfront but people will still think "eww, Buffalo." Also HSBC Arena has shown that building a sports venue does not automatically bring development. I mean you have 50+ events a year at HSBC and there is still nothing else there but a hole in the ground!

 

Right now Niagara Falls, NY is a festering zit of a town. But the name "Niagara Falls" is recognized world wide. It's still thought of as a tourist destination, even though most of the tourists go to Canada. Putting a complex like I described in the Falls gives incentive to draw some of those tourists back to the USA side, and opens up potential new revenue for the Bills. And don't forget that NF is 30 minutes closer to metro Toronto. This will strengthen the claim on that market for the Bills.

 

Another option that I'm sure would not be liked by most of us would be to build the stadium in NF, Canada. There is very little land available in the tourist area, and it's probably very expensive to boot. But it would make a terrific location. There's a lot more room at the intersection of the QEW and the 420.

 

Having the Bills in in Canada would suck but it would not be the end of the world, at least not to me. Crossing the border would be a hassle, but there are ways to make it easier. For example season ticket holders could be pre-screened by customs and allowed to use express lanes at border crossings. But if you have a DUI or another felony on your record you might be able to get into Canada and that would suck.

 

PTR