Please don't build a dome! (unless it's like Arizona's

[TheFunPolice]

Pittsburgh should be the model for any new Bills stadium, IMO.

 

Good, basic, clean stadium that fits the identity of the team. Can you imagine a Steelers dome?

 

MAYBE you could lure a Super Bowl here, but I doubt it. Other than that, you would be taking away a big part of what makes Bills football great (when the team is winning).

 

We are about to start watching playoff games. There will be snow, crazy fans, wind. It adds to the ambiance of the games. A dark, sterile, ugly dome just cannot compete with a place like Gillette Stadium (I almost threw up when I typed that) in the snow.

 

Imagine a dome over Lambeau Field. It would be freaking sacrilegious! I say the same thing is true for a dome in Buffalo.

 

I do have ONE caveat. The Arizona dome is an AWESOME stadium. It is so bright with natural light due to its construction that it's almost like being outside. They even have a grass field that gets rolled outside into the sun between games (that wouldn't work here obviously).

 

Arizona NEEDED a dome because it's like 100 degrees there half the time. But overall, pro football should be played OUTSIDE in the elements. It's part of what makes this game great.

 

"Oh you must not be a season ticker holder! It's cold!"

 

Boo hoo.

 

It's cold in New England*.

It's cold in Cleveland.

It's cold in Chicago (the windy city)

It's REALLY cold in Green Bay. Dangerously so half the time.

It's cold in Pittsburgh.

It's cold in New Jersey.

It's cold in Philadelphia.

It's cold in Denver.

It's cold in Seattle.

It's cold in Baltimore.

It's cold in Cincinnati.

It's cold in Kansas City.

 

So are Bills fans softer than fans in those cities? Not at all. Just look at the Jets game! Bills fans sold out the stadium and went to watch the team go 8-8.

 

Imagine a world where the Bills are actually GOOD again! January. Snow falling. Home playoff game in the divisional round!

 

Now imagine a cold, sterile, dark, airplane hangar like half the NFL domes are.

 

No comparison.

 

Open air stadiums are cheaper and just plain better. The stadium sells out most years now as it is.

 

Lower the capacity a bit, add some new cool features, and field a winning team. There ALREADY is demand for Bills tickets now.

 

PLEASE NO DOME IN BUFFALO! (unless it's pretty much a copy of Arizona)

[LeGOATski]

I agree with you. However, I've been to Arizona's dome plenty of times and it's nothing like being outside. Open stadium, please.

[Kirby Jackson]

I would be really, really surprised if they didn't have a roof. The Bills need to sell more expense seats and in order to do so they need an environment that caters to the business community.

[TheFunPolice]

It has to be open air.

 

I was just looking at the St. Louis proposed (although probably unlikely to happen) stadium, which would be open air instead of a dome.

 

Most NFL domes look like they found an abandoned airplane hanger, strung up some cheap fluorescent strip lights, and put down some of that cheap green outdoor carpet you can buy at Home Depot.

 

It's freaking awful to watch. I can't imagine it's much fun to go to either.

 

The waterfront is all about EMBRACING the outdoors lately. The skating rink is packed down there when it opens.

 

Enough people WANT to be outside (yes, even in winter!) that it won't be an issue if the Bills build an open air stadium. It's not an issue now, and they have one of the larger stadiums in the NFL!

 

Chicago's Soldier Field holds 61,500.

 

A SELLOUT in Chicago (a much larger city) would be one of the worst attended games in years in Buffalo!

I would be really, really surprised if they didn't have a roof. The Bills need to sell more expense seats and in order to do so they need an environment that caters to the business community.

I understand this concern, but how do all these other cities do it?

 

Are rich people in other cities tougher?

[B-Man]

Only eight games a year.

 

This year, how many fit your "romanticized" Bill's snowy weather ?

 

Build a Dome.

 

There will NEVER be a Super Bowl here regardless, but perhaps the building could be used for other things.

 

Part of the reason of putting it downtown...............

[TheFunPolice]

Only eight games a year.

 

This year, how many fit your "romanticized" Bill's snowy weather ?

 

Build a Dome.

 

There will NEVER be a Super Bowl here regardless, but perhaps the building could be used for other things.

 

Part of the reason of putting it downtown...............

 

It's not just the snowy weather. It's that football is a fresh air, sunshine, OUTDOOR fall sport!

 

Who wants to sit in something that looks like a WWII underground bunker when it's blue skies and 70 degrees on a perfect fall day?

 

Football is an outdoor sport. Domes suck.

Can you imagine the Buffalo Bills being at a disadvantage playing outside in the playoffs on the road?

[Augie]

I've only seen football inside a couple domes, but they both lacked that "game day ambiance" you'd like. The new one going up in Atlanta looks pretty cool though. Crazy retractable top in multiple sections. Maybe the best of both worlds. Or the worst? I'm actually torn on this as I see both sides.

 

http://mercedesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Falcons-stadium.jpg

[LA Grant]

Dome is less romantic, but far more utilitarian and better for the region as a whole. It should be a dome, ideally in downtown.

 

EDIT: But at the same time, I'm torn. TheFunPolice summarizes the argument for open air stadium nicely and I agree with that too.

Edited January 5, 2016 by LA Grant

[TheFunPolice]

Atlanta's new stadium looks like a spaceship! LOL

 

Could you have a retractable roof but always have it open for football and close it for other uses?

Edited January 5, 2016 by TheFunPolice

[MDH]

 

It's not just the snowy weather. It's that football is a fresh air, sunshine, OUTDOOR fall sport!

 

Who wants to sit in something that looks like a WWII underground bunker when it's blue skies and 70 degrees on a perfect fall day?

 

Football is an outdoor sport. Domes suck.

Can you imagine the Buffalo Bills being at a disadvantage playing outside in the playoffs on the road?

 

No doubt, as a fan, open air is definitely better. There really isn't much debate on this, at least Imo.

 

But as an investor, why would you build an open air stadium in the Buffalo area? Nobody is spending a billion dollars on a stadium simply to give the fans the best game day experience. They're doing it as an investment. The building would get so much more use with a roof and, as such, make you more money.

[Maddog69]

Build a dome to make it easier and more attractive for an older, more upscale, classier clientele to attend the games. Get rid of the drunken idiots that make the city and the fanbase look foolish. I have no issue what drinking and tailgating but getting absolutely plastered and making and ass of yourself has to be stopped.

[TheFunPolice]

I don't know.

 

Cleveland did it. Pittsburgh did it. Green Bay kept theirs.

 

Bigger cities probably have dozens of other large venues for other events, so it's less of an issue to have a football dome for conventions or whatever.

 

But those three are a lot like Buffalo.

 

Is it even worth building new? Would a retrofit of the Ralph for 1/2 the price be a better cost/benefit type deal?

 

All the infrastructure is there. Roads, practice facilities, etc.

[Not at the table Karlos]

I would like a retractable roof stadium but only if the roof would have to be open for all bills games.

 

Let UB use it. Build it downtown. With a patriotplace type thing and a football version of harborcenter.

 

IIRC Goodell said a while back that if a new stadium fits all the rules for hosting a super bowl that the NFL would try to bring one to that city.

Edited January 5, 2016 by Not at the table Karlos

[TheFunPolice]

could they have a retractable roof with the rule that it would be open for all Bills games?

 

I'm not sure how it would work with rain/snow getting inside though

[Augie]

Build a dome to make it easier and more attractive for an older, more upscale, classier clientele to attend the games. Get rid of the drunken idiots that make the city and the fanbase look foolish. I have no issue what drinking and tailgating but getting absolutely plastered and making and ass of yourself has to be stopped.

 

So, you'll have to pay CASH for your Kiko jersey?

[nucci]

 

It's not just the snowy weather. It's that football is a fresh air, sunshine, OUTDOOR fall sport!

 

Who wants to sit in something that looks like a WWII underground bunker when it's blue skies and 70 degrees on a perfect fall day?

 

Football is an outdoor sport. Domes suck.

Can you imagine the Buffalo Bills being at a disadvantage playing outside in the playoffs on the road?

in Buffalo?

Build a dome to make it easier and more attractive for an older, more upscale, classier clientele to attend the games. Get rid of the drunken idiots that make the city and the fanbase look foolish. I have no issue what drinking and tailgating but getting absolutely plastered and making and ass of yourself has to be stopped.

in Buffalo?

 

 

 

j/k

Edited January 5, 2016 by nucci

[Never NEVER Give-up]

A SB here is possible because deals for them are made at the time stadiums are in the planning stages for construction.

 

An open air SB in Buffalo will not happen - too likely that weather will have an impact.

 

What I agree with and would like to see is a dome like AZ, but to maximize home field, keep it open during cold days and in playoffs. Close it for rain and the SB game itself.

[Not at the table Karlos]

could they have a retractable roof with the rule that it would be open for all Bills games?

 

I'm not sure how it would work with rain/snow getting inside though

I don't see why not. Make all the seats weather resistant like an outdoor stadium would. Make some seats heated for the whiners or put those heaters we have in the club seats.

 

Only reason I would like a retractable roof is so it doesn't sit vacant most of the year.

[Canadian Bills Fan]

I cant see it not being a dome.

 

I'm sure the Pegula's are thinking to themselves that if they are paying for a new stadium, that they are serious about a future Super Bowl bid.

 

 

Lets be honest, this isnt the 90's Bills anymore. Weather is no longer an advantage for us

 

 

 

Not to mention that if its a dome, the stadium can be used for more events all year round

 

 

 

 

CBF

[TheFunPolice]

What about the moisture though?

 

I wonder how feasible it really is. Would it be like leaving your windows open in the rain at home?

[purple haze]

I would be really, really surprised if they didn't have a roof. The Bills need to sell more expense seats and in order to do so they need an environment that caters to the business community.

Wouldn't the biz community be more interested in suites/boxes?

 

Personally, a stadium like Seattle's is what I'd like to see. Cover the seating areas, but still be outside. Win win for everyone. I think the downtown location will decrease the drunken antics and attract more biz/family types regardless of roof/no roof.

[dpberr]

My guess it will be modeled after U.S. Bank Stadium. It won't be a dome.

 

Fixed, translucent roof stadium with a massive bank of facade windows.

 

I'd love a Heinz Field type of stadium personally but the weather in Buffalo would massacre that grass field.

[papazoid]

retractable roof

 

best of both worlds

 

year round

[ddaryl]

it would be a really really really really dumb mistake not to build a retractable roof stadium

[nucci]

A SB here is possible because deals for them are made at the time stadiums are in the planning stages for construction.

 

An open air SB in Buffalo will not happen - too likely that weather will have an impact.

 

What I agree with and would like to see is a dome like AZ, but to maximize home field, keep it open during cold days and in playoffs. Close it for rain and the SB game itself.

NFL will decide this and most likely close the roof for playoffs

 

http://www.footballzebras.com/2013/05/01/nfl-retractable-roof-policies/

[purple haze]

Only eight games a year.

 

This year, how many fit your "romanticized" Bill's snowy weather ?

 

Build a Dome.

 

There will NEVER be a Super Bowl here regardless, but perhaps the building could be used for other things.

 

Part of the reason of putting it downtown...............

Indoor facilities are more expensive and as you said, it's only 8 games per year. And there is not much that can be done at the stadium that isn't already done at first Niagara. If they want to add money making features they can put museums/restaurants in the stadium which wouldn't require the expense of a roof.

[TheFunPolice]

US BANK stadium looks freaking beautiful!

 

THAT wouldn't be so bad... At least you can see sunlight

 

That's like an entirely different class of stadium. Hopefully the fact that the Bills would be doing this in the future would lead to some more cutting edge design features to bring in fresh air and natural light at least

Edited January 5, 2016 by TheFunPolice

[Jobu]

Open air with an open bar please.

[Kirby Jackson]

I understand this concern, but how do all these other cities do it?

 

Are rich people in other cities tougher?

I'm not going to go too far down the rabbit hole on this but I have a bunch of times. Long story short, the Bills have a tough time selling games late in the year. This was the case even during the Super Bowl years. You have to create an environment that caters to the fan that is going to pay $5,000 a year for their season tickets not $500. There are a bunch of things that can be done to do this but you need to marry location and amenities. Right now the best locations do not have the best amenities which is counter intuitive. You need to build the stadium with those people first in mind and they are more fickle than the guy that was lit on fire in the parking lot.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Build a dome to make it easier and more attractive for an older, more upscale, classier clientele to attend the games. Get rid of the drunken idiots that make the city and the fanbase look foolish. I have no issue what drinking and tailgating but getting absolutely plastered and making and ass of yourself has to be stopped.

 

You can't really stop it. If they did it in their driveway and put #billsmafia it still makes its way all over the internet. Billsmafia is too big to stop now.

[TheFunPolice]

I'm not going to go too far down the rabbit hole on this but I have a bunch of times. Long story short, the Bills have a tough time selling games late in the year. This was the case even during the Super Bowl years. You have to create an environment that caters to the fan that is going to pay $5,000 a year for their season tickets not $500. There are a bunch of things that can be done to do this but you need to marry location and amenities. Right now the best locations do not have the best amenities which is counter intuitive. You need to build the stadium with those people first in mind and they are more fickle than the guy that was lit on fire in the parking lot.

 

Haven't they sold out the last couple of seasons?

 

That's with the longest playoff drought in any major sport and one of the larger NFL stadiums. Look how fans responded this off-season. Imagine if the team was actually good AND the stadium held around 64,000 or so.

 

On a different note, I wonder how much the Pegulas being major players in hockey and trying to bring outdoor NHL/hockey games here would play a role. That would no longer be possible.

 

Buffalo sports fans sell out these outdoor hockey games in like 5 minutes. We have no issue with the cold.

 

Just my two cents. My overall point is that most other northern NFL cities have open air stadiums so it's not like having an open air stadium in the cold means you can't sell to people with $$

Edited January 5, 2016 by TheFunPolice

[Hammered a Lot]

Indoor facilities are more expensive and as you said, it's only 8 games per year. And there is not much that can be done at the stadium that isn't already done at first Niagara. If they want to add money making features they can put museums/restaurants in the stadium which wouldn't require the expense of a roof.

I ask a ton of people this year remodel the Ralph or downtown stadium. Overwhelming Remodel the Ralph. When I did a TV interview a couple of weeks ago, the TV reporter brought the d-stadium idea up. She had so many unbias negative points about the d-stadium. I still think the Pegulas might try something with the ECC south land sorta of like Patriots place or a variation of the Cowboys Ford Center at the Star. Edited January 5, 2016 by Hammered a Lot

[TheFunPolice]

I wonder what the cost/benefit really is with a new stadium vs a total retrofit of the Ralph, like Green Bay did with Lambeau field.

 

You also have to factor in the infrastructure issues with a downtown stadium, which would be significant. Plus then you have all those facilities in OP going to waste (as well as the infrastructure).

[BILLS02138]

 

Most NFL domes look like they found an abandoned airplane hanger, strung up some cheap fluorescent strip lights, and put down some of that cheap green outdoor carpet you can buy at Home Depot.

 

 

Agreed. People point to Ford Field or Lucas Oil domes - and they look like airplane hangers. That look just reinforces our rust belt image.

 

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20130903&Category=COL06&ArtNo=309030010&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Tom-Walsh-Bankrupt-Detroit-needs-October-more-than-1968-replay

 

I am not adverse to dome but I want it to be architecturally stimulating - pushing the envelope of what is typical Buffalo:

 

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://designlike.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Amazing-football-stadium.jpg&imgrefurl=http://caths.aropa.tk/amazing-football-stadium-1/&h=486&w=680&tbnid=Xg4MpkmLPmQkRM:&docid=Ctx3nVtvhaCijM&ei=_CqMVtWON4WxeL-JjdAP&tbm=isch&ved=0ahUKEwjV_MXXxJPKAhWFGB4KHb9EA_oQMwgeKAEwAQ

 

http://socialgadgetnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/wakrah3-771x591-720x340.jpg

 

And if we go with an outdoor stadium - please do not replicate the Steelers or Patriots stadiums - go with something like the Bronco's stadium:

 

http://football.ballparks.com/NFL/DenverBroncos/newaerial.jpg

 

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d1/10/5c/d1105c1248f2bd673eb8b18796c65cd6.jpg

Edited January 5, 2016 by BILLS02138

[Kirby Jackson]

 

Haven't they sold out the last couple of seasons?

 

That's with the longest playoff drought in any major sport and one of the larger NFL stadiums. Look how fans responded this off-season. Imagine if the team was actually good AND the stadium held around 64,000 or so.

 

On a different note, I wonder how much the Pegulas being major players in hockey and trying to bring outdoor NHL/hockey games here would play a role. That would no longer be possible.

 

Buffalo sports fans sell out these outdoor hockey games in like 5 minutes. We have no issue with the cold.

 

Just my two cents. My overall point is that most other northern NFL cities have open air stadiums so it's not like having an open air stadium in the cold means you can't sell to people with $$

The point that I am making is that it has been an issue in Buffalo (regardless of whether or not it has been an issue in Pittsburgh). The potential for 1 outdoor hockey game a decade isn't going to drive a decision on the stadium. It is going to come down to how they can maximize nonshared revenue and what assets that they can create to do just this. It isn't even about the number of tickets sold as much as it is who has those tickets. If those tickets are $5,000 a season and 100 of them are included in Anchor Bar's $1.5M sponsorship package the Bills are thrilled. They would be even more thrilled if that money went right to marketing instead of tickets, but you get the point.

[KollegeStudnet]

If it is a dome, it will bring business to the city.

[Augie]

You need to build the stadium with those people first in mind and they are more fickle than the guy that was lit on fire in the parking lot.

I don't consider myself overly fickle, but I do draw the line somewhere short of setting me on fire. I have limits!

[K-Apps]

Remember it's a retractable roof stadium, it could also be a candidate for the Final Four, National Championship in CFB, Super Bowl, and WWE's WrestleMania. There's a lot of viable events that could come to Buffalo that will help the economy that an open air stadium would not possible with.

[PromoTheRobot]

Don't be dumb. Build a dome. I'm sick of the cold. Plus an open air stadium is useless for other major events you could host. Build a freakin' dome.

http://socialgadgetnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/wakrah3-771x591-720x340.jpg

 

You want a stadium that looks like...ummmmm?

Edited January 5, 2016 by PromoTheRobot

[May Day 10]

I still dont understand what events are going to be held in a 63,000 seat indoor stadium between January and April that the FNC cant hold. I guess UB can play there, but they cant draw any fans.

 

Maybe a Final Four one time. Maybe a Wrestlemania one time? Doubt they will start a low level bowl game because nobody local would show up.

 

 

I also dont understand how there is a need for high end amneties and seats here that would require an indoor stadium. There isnt that kind of clientele in WNY... at least not a whole lot.