bbb Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Shouldn't this place become OBD by default? That is the line of succession! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 John, I've attended Bills games in every decade in their existence. Through the good years and the bad years. I agree with your desire for the team to be focused on winning, and a product worthy of watching. But since 1960 there has been one thing you can count on as a Bills fan. A very good gameday experience. And an integral part of that experience in Buffalo, has been the tailgating. You may not care about that, but I would bet a huge percentage of current fans do. Of course, that is a research question, we are both just speculating. And let's be clear, the tailgate experience isn't just about getting sloshed (though it is Buffalo, a city with a strong drinking culture) it is about community and comradery. It is about spending the entire day together, with the Bills game as the focus. For stadiums without that, and especially those that are covered, the gameday experience is more like a 4-hour diversion, IMO. Get in, get out. Clean. Businesslike. Sterile. For watching the game itself, The Ralph is fine, actually better than fine, for the average fan. Great sight-lines, terrific crowd involvement. Sure a "state of the art" facility would be a nice thing for Buffalo, and the fans. But what makes a stadium "state of the art"? A covered stadium is old news, actually. I'm surprised they are still building them. Baseball seems to be getting out of the inside experience and retractable roofs have taken over for most of the newer NFL stadiums that have any cover at all. And like you, I don't believe in going with the status quo simply because "that's the way it has always been". But ignoring your customers (in this case the fans) is a sure way to change into failure for a business. Changing the product on the field is something everyone can get behind. But dramatically changing the gameday experience is something that needs to be done carefully, and not simply because "that's the trend these days". The Ralph is an antiquated facilty whose days are numbered. Putting any more $$$ into it for upkeep is a waste. I can't say for sure but I suspect that the next facility that will be built will be a covered facility. There is no doubt that it will alter how you experience the games. Where I respectfully but strenuously disagree with you is that I believe the majority of customers will prefer an indoor facility. We disagree on that issue but most of the studies associated with a new stadium favor a closed facility. The model that I favor is the Lucas Oil stadium in Indianapolis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 The thing that is very disappointing to me about the 150M in renovations to the Ralph this year - none of them help the game day experience much. They said the corridors would be wider with less lines at the concessions (and I thought the rest rooms). If anything, they seem longer! I thought there was going to be wifi. Instead, I still can barely get any kind of reception at all. Maybe 10% of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Atlanta news reporting the cost of the retractable roof stadium just jumped $200 million to $1.4 billion. Original estimate without a roof was $700 million. Falcons to pick up the cost bump, but future increases look to be on tax payers. Say construction costs are rising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Atlanta is building what appears to be a complicated 8 piece koliedescope looking roof that opens. I'm sure it could be done for less, but still the prices just keep rising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 The Ralph is an antiquated facilty whose days are numbered. Putting any more $$$ into it for upkeep is a waste. I can't say for sure but I suspect that the next facility that will be built will be a covered facility. There is no doubt that it will alter how you experience the games. Where I respectfully but strenuously disagree with you is that I believe the majority of customers will prefer an indoor facility. We disagree on that issue but most of the studies associated with a new stadium favor a closed facility. The model that I favor is the Lucas Oil stadium in Indianapolis. I have been to games in Indy... Frankly, it sucks. Tailgating kinda sucked in DET. I loved the enviro in the stadium though. We parked in a ramp and didn't tailgate, went to Chelios' place by Comerica Park and then into the game. When we got back to our vehicle on the 4 level of the garage... There were spent chicken wings all around our ride... WHO the hell tailgates in a parking garage! LMAO... Obvioulsly Bills fans! LoL... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I have been to games in Indy... Frankly, it sucks. Tailgating kinda sucked in DET. I loved the enviro in the stadium though. We parked in a ramp and didn't tailgate, went to Chelios' place by Comerica Park and then into the game. When we got back to our vehicle on the 4 level of the garage... There were spent chicken wings all around our ride... WHO the hell tailgates in a parking garage! LMAO... Obvioulsly Bills fans! LoL... Since you have been to both Indy and Detroit what do you like and dislike about the facilities. In your opinion how adaptable are either facilities to a downtown or waterfront Buffalo site? I'm not asking about tailgating potential so much as I'm interested in your opinion about the facilities. I would also be interested to know about your observatons of the areas around the facilities. Was there much development around each of thes sites? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Atlanta's new stadium now projected at $1.4B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Day 10 Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 You have to think clearly here. Pegula is obviously interested in creating a "district" there Canal-Side. He will likely be footing a sizeable portion of the bill for this. I imagine that he will want the versatility of a closed or a closeable facility. Just East of the Arena, at the Perry Projects seems like the most likely location. I guess the question is... what can take place only in an enclosed facility that cant be held in the arena? What is the Delta between that and the increased cost of the roofed facility? I truly believe that tickets will have no issue being sold at a higher rate for a modest outdoor facility with a somewhat reduced capacity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Atlanta's new stadium now projected at $1.4B. What I find discouraging is that obviously costs rise as time goes by. Assuming the Bills and the public authorities come to an agreement on building a new facility at the minimum a number of years will have gone by, thus making a costly project even more costly. Putting money into the rickety Ralph was necessary to make it inhabitable for the forseeable future. But that money could have been used as a public sector contribution for a facility that will be mostly privately financed. It sure would have been nice if instead of paying $1.4 B for the team the price would have been $1 B with the additional $400 M going towards a new facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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