SF Bills Fan Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 This would be the best scenario for us. He is certainly wealthy enough and is connected and powerful in NYS. He owns lots of land in WNY. Something tells me this is going to end up being the guy. http://www.wgrz.com/story/news/local/2014/05/01/howard-milstein-buffalo-bills-sale-billionaire-real-estate-developer/8564737/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Great Stuff SF Bills Fan!! This is a name that we have been hoping to see!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Bills Fan Posted May 1, 2014 Author Share Posted May 1, 2014 In my mind, he is at the front of the line. I can't see any barriers in his way. I feel like the other owners would be pleased to have him join the ranks. Lets face it, Trump has huge uphill battles and Jacobs has some things in the way (Bruins and gambling). He could easily get a new stadium done with all his ties. I believe that he is also a Jim Kelly friend. Please let this happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kellyto83TD Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 (edited) WTH is the different between him and Trump? See Trump would want a WINNER as that is his way. He has bid on two NFL teams and didnt' get them. Look all I want from a new owner is WINNING is priority #1. Not pulling a 'Major League' and going cheap ass on the fans because he knows they will flock to the stadium even if they field a crap team. What IS interesting is his owning 140 acres of under developed land in Niagara. Can you say New stadium location? Edited May 1, 2014 by Kellyto83TD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Well, if Howie does buy the Bills, expect the team to suck for 15 years while he sits on his assets (as in Niagara Falls, NYC, etc). Oh wait, I've seen that movie already:. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Islanders Initially the team made numerous trades and increased their payroll in an effort to assemble a better team. In one transaction, youngsters Todd Bertuzzi and Bryan McCabe were traded for veteran Trevor Linden. However, after the Islanders finished 12 points short of the playoffs in 1997-98, Milstein and Gluckstern decided to run the team on an austere budget in an attempt to make a profit. They also complained about the condition of the Nassau Coliseum and made noises about moving the team elsewhere. They began trading or releasing many popular players to avoid paying their salaries, including star scorer Zigmund Palffy, team captain Linden, former rookie of the year Bryan Berard, and rugged defenseman Rich Pilon. With the loss of so much talent, the result was predictable. The Islanders finished with 58 points in 1999 and 57 points in 2000. Attendance, which had been in a steady decline over the past few years, fell off even further to under 12,000 per game. At the same time, Milstein bid hundreds of millions of dollars in unsuccessful attempts to purchase the National Football League's Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 (edited) WTH is the different between him and Trump? See Trump would want a WINNER as that is his way. He has bid on two NFL teams and didnt' get them. Look all I want from a new owner is WINNING is priority #1. Not pulling a 'Major League' and going cheap ass on the fans because he knows they will flock to the stadium even if they field a crap team. The biggest differences are Millstein has never sued the NFL, doesn't have gambling ties, has bankcrupted less businesses and owns 140 acres that have been rumored as a stadium site. In addition he and Cuomo are best buds. I am okay with Trump but he is behind Jacobs, Millstein and Pegula for sure to me. Edited May 2, 2014 by Kirby Jackson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Formerly Allan in MD Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 He wanted to buy the Redskins following Jack Kent Cooke's death, but the league or the Cooke family had some sort of problem with him. And, of course, the league has no problem now with Danny boy. Milstein is loaded. Perhaps he'll want to build a new stadium on his own as well, possibly in the Falls, where he already owns significant property. In any case, let him and Donald duke it out and let it all be good for the Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FluffHead Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 I know nothing about him but I heard WGR say he was voted down by other owners when he tried to purchase the redskins. Why, I don't know. But why would they vote him in now if they didn't then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Bills Fan Posted May 1, 2014 Author Share Posted May 1, 2014 It sounds like there were complications at the time and had more to do with the Cookes rather than the NFL. His net worth is far bigger now than in 1991. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdogtim Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Milstein is buddies with Andrew cuomo as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kellyto83TD Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 The biggest differences are Millstein has never sued the NFL, doesn't have gambling ties, has bankcrupted less businesses and owns 140 acres that have been rumored as a stadium site. In addition he and Cuomo and best buds. I am okay with Trump but he is behind Jacobs, Millstein and Pegula for sure to me. First off Trump doesn't have gambling ties, how many more hundreds of times does this need to be said? Read about what he did to the islanders, after rading that I hope he doesn't touch the Bills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heitz Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 I wish my family's net worth was $3.8B - the home opener tailgate would be amazing!! Seems like there's a lot to like here, wonder what the other owners think of him after two failed bids? The team + NF land connection seem perfect. I love OP, but if we get a new stadium in NF, I'm not going to complain... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Day 10 Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 This guy is a snake. A few notches better than mlse but I'd be waiting for the knife in the back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 (edited) First off Trump doesn't have gambling ties, how many more hundreds of times does this need to be said? Read about what he did to the islanders, after rading that I hope he doesn't touch the Bills Very familiar with Millstein and his connections to Kelly. http://www.niagarafallsreporter.com/Stories/2012/Sep18/Milstein.html Trump still owns a small stake in the AC casinos. You asked what was better about Millstein than Trump so I gave my opinion. Edited May 1, 2014 by Kirby Jackson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwater cadet Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 He been the guy all along. He is main inventor in Kelly's group. He is very close to gov. Great article in the niagara falls paper that connect him to kelly, governer, and Kelly's former agent who is in charge of niagara falls development. Article was on tbd couple years back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 He been the guy all along. He is main inventor in Kelly's group. He is very close to gov. Great article in the niagara falls paper that connect him to kelly, governer, and Kelly's former agent who is in charge of niagara falls development. Article was on tbd couple years back. I had just posted it above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eme123 Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Hes a slime ball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wiz Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Harvard grad huh? Get ready for fitzgibbons to make a buffalo comeback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Well, if Howie does buy the Bills, expect the team to suck for 15 years while he sits on his assets (as in Niagara Falls, NYC, etc). Oh wait, I've seen that movie already:. http://en.wikipedia...._York_Islanders Initially the team made numerous trades and increased their payroll in an effort to assemble a better team. In one transaction, youngsters Todd Bertuzzi and Bryan McCabe were traded for veteran Trevor Linden. However, after the Islanders finished 12 points short of the playoffs in 1997-98, Milstein and Gluckstern decided to run the team on an austere budget in an attempt to make a profit. They also complained about the condition of the Nassau Coliseum and made noises about moving the team elsewhere. They began trading or releasing many popular players to avoid paying their salaries, including star scorer Zigmund Palffy, team captain Linden, former rookie of the year Bryan Berard, and rugged defenseman Rich Pilon. With the loss of so much talent, the result was predictable. The Islanders finished with 58 points in 1999 and 57 points in 2000. Attendance, which had been in a steady decline over the past few years, fell off even further to under 12,000 per game. At the same time, Milstein bid hundreds of millions of dollars in unsuccessful attempts to purchase the National Football League's Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. That is enough to give you pause, for sure. That said, a lot of posters here have commented similarly about Golisano, and not wanting him to be the Bills owner because he was cheap with the Sabres. BUT... If Golisano gave the same edict to Brandon and Whaley as he did to Larry Quinn and Darcy when he owned the Sabres, we would be spending money like crazy on the Bills. TG told Flynn "do anything you want as long as you do not lose money." In the NHL, you can lose money. It's almost impossible to lose in the NFL. So just because a guy wanted to make a profit in the NHL and was perceived as being cheap, that doesn't necessarily translate to being cheap in the NFL as an owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Seems like a great fit and a solid citizen, but the succession plan concerns me. To ensure long term stability we need a local owner who is from the area and plans to stay in the area for a very long time and has a family is committed to WNY . Out of town owners, no matter how solid they are, will always be risky. What if he owns the land where the new stadium is constructed? What if one of his closest conifidants is the governor (keep in mind only 1 NFL team plays in his state)? Does that still count as an out of towner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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