boater Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Why is it unlikely TPegs will pay for his own barn? I think it's very likely, with the state chipping in for infrastructure. With your caveat of "state chipping in for some infrastructure" ...and... some property tax relief: yes, I could see Pegs buying his own barn. The Q is: will the city/county/state want to build/own and then rent out a downtown stadium? or give sweeteners (infrastructure, tax breaks) to private development of a downtown stadium the county/state upgrade the Ralph, Bills stay the Bills stay... not minding the Rock Pile Ralph and give the NFL the middle finger the Bills leave, wanting a better stadium In order: I like 3, 2, 1, 4 and find 5 unacceptable. Someone should poll this. I'm surprised at how many fans seem to want an old stadium with limited amenities as long as it has cheap parking and low ticket prices. That doesn't sound like something a franchise committed to the highest quality and to a great fan experience would embrace. Are you Richie Rich, or the Local 210 (a benefactor of new stadium construction)? For me, low property taxes, low parking, low tickets... that sounds good to me. This is not DC, Dallas, NE.. where Daddy Big Bucks dominates the market to pay for the so called "great fan experience." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real Buffalo Joe Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Well here's what sucks. Turns out, Pegala also owns the Sabres,which, as luck would have it, is actually against NFL regulations. So he's actually looking for some land up in Hamilton, ON. It's a loophole he found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-8 Forever? Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 cool, big stadium in Hamilton... look at the bright side .. the Ralph will be the Bills home for at least 5-10 more years, IMHO. would take 3 years to figure out of new stadium, another 3 to build it minimum... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
707BillsFan Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Just saw a Rodak tweet, "Remember the Bills' new stadium working group? An Erie County spokesperson said today group hasn't met since '14, has no scheduled meetings" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFunPolice Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Full scale remodel of the Ralph Makes the most sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammered a Lot Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 According to Erie County Executive Mark Polinarz Ralph Wilson Stadium infrastructure good for another 25 years as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight in philly Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 (edited) Full scale remodel of the Ralph Makes the most sense. hope you are right! could not agree more. and it does actually make the most sense both fiscally and logistically. Edited January 29, 2016 by dwight in philly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFunPolice Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I would prefer a full-scale remodel that brings RWS up to league standards. I understand the reasons why it will be difficult, but the massive amount of $$ involved in a new stadium (along with making it a sterile, airplane hangar experience in a dome) are far less appealing. Other teams have done it (Green Bay, for example). Chicago is another. It can be done. All the facilities, infrastructure, etc. are right there and have been for decades. Just juice up the stadium. The thought of the Buffalo Bills being at a disadvantage playing out in the snow because they are a soft wimpy dome team turns my stomach! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobillsinytown Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I seem to remember some reports about Jerrah expressing some negatives about his new wonderland. Specifically his debt service, which he didn't have before. While I'm sure that he's happy overall, there are always downsides to a massive project involving many entities. Given the complexities and cost involved in essentially shoving a new stadium into the downtown area, I think Terry's being smart in taking a measured approach to it. I haven't lived in Buffalo since 1988, but even with my limited knowledge of the changes happening downtown, I can just imagine the traffic snarls that an influx of 50 or 60 thousand people would cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight in philly Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I would prefer a full-scale remodel that brings RWS up to league standards. I understand the reasons why it will be difficult, but the massive amount of $$ involved in a new stadium (along with making it a sterile, airplane hangar experience in a dome) are far less appealing. Other teams have done it (Green Bay, for example). Chicago is another. It can be done. All the facilities, infrastructure, etc. are right there and have been for decades. Just juice up the stadium. The thought of the Buffalo Bills being at a disadvantage playing out in the snow because they are a soft wimpy dome team turns my stomach! trying to connect the dots based on the little that has been said , or unsaid, it seems the powers that be MIGHT be thinking in those terms. a sterile dome is unthinkable IMHO, just not "buffalo".. we arent ever going to host a super bowl and that seems to be a reason for the "dome" talk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 @JaySkurski Three Saturday afternoon #Bills thoughts: A lack of faith in Robert Woods, Charles Clay's contract, new stadium talk http://bills.buffalonews.com/2016/01/30/jay-skurskis-three-bills-thoughts-lack-of-faith-in-robert-woods/ Most of the Bills fans I speak with haven't expressed much of a desire for a new stadium. Despite that, it feels like an inevitability that when the current lease between Erie County and the Bills for the team to play in Ralph Wilson Stadium expires in 2022, a new stadium will be built. So why does a new stadium feel like an inevitability? Because in the NFL, the pressure is there to always raise revenue. That would come with a new stadium, which would likely bring higher ticket prices and more luxury suites. A downtown stadium that someone ties into the amazing progress that has been made near the Canalside and HarborCenter projects would seem like a logical next step in Buffalo's rebirth, but the Pegulas are right: There's no rush to make that happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 @JaySkurski Three Saturday afternoon #Bills thoughts: A lack of faith in Robert Woods, Charles Clay's contract, new stadium talk http://bills.buffalonews.com/2016/01/30/jay-skurskis-three-bills-thoughts-lack-of-faith-in-robert-woods/ Shocking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boater Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 (edited) Just saw this. Not a well titled piece as the author mixes up game experience, architecture and team record all in one statement. (maybe the author had better, but editors change headlines for clickbait) Anyway... 1. The Ralph is fairly placed. 2. Thought it interesting that #1 and #2 "stadiums" are remodeled stadiums v. new construction. Edited January 30, 2016 by boater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincec Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 It is sort of funny to hear fans that once regularly slammed the Bills and their ownership as being cheap now advocate a cheap stadium solution to keep costs down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 (edited) It is sort of funny to hear fans that once regularly slammed the Bills and their ownership as being cheap now advocate a cheap stadium solution to keep costs down. I think that it is more about the environment that makes the Ralph unique. People want to keep that. The flip side is the Bills don't want to be known for people having sex in the parking lots and slamming people through tables. In addition, the Bills want to capitalize on the entire cost of ownership of attending a game. There are some people that spend just on a ticket (no concessions, parking, souvenirs, etc...). They drink and eat in the parking lot that the Bills don't own. They want to get a larger share of that person's cost of ownership. That doesn't even tackle the ticket price issues that I raised earlier. A new stadium will be coming and the experience will be different than what we are accustomed to. There will be pros and there will be cons. Edited February 1, 2016 by Kirby Jackson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammered a Lot Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 I think that it is more about the environment that makes the Ralph unique. People want to keep that. The flip side is the Bills don't want to be known for people having sex in the parking lots and slamming people through tables. In addition, the Bills want to capitalize on the entire cost of ownership of attending a game. There are some people that spend just on a ticket (no concessions, parking, souvenirs, etched...). They drink and eat in the parking lot that the Bills don't own. They want to get a larger share of that persin's cost of ownership. Currently Ralph Wilson complex is 196 acres with parking for 10,000 cars 300 buses 250 rvs that Pegulas control $$$$. Largest down town site is 44 acres and they will not control parking, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Currently Ralph Wilson complex is 196 acres with parking for 10,000 cars 300 buses 250 rvs that Pegulas control $$$$. Largest down town site is 44 acres and they will not control parking, Correct, but there will be a bump in parking prices to bring it closer to a net zero. That does not include the bars and restaurants, etc... that the Pegula's will be able to capitalize on similar to the way that Bob Kraft does with Patriot Place. It will be all part of the downtown development where they will incur revenue all year instead of 10 times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 @AdamBenigni Jeremy Jacobs of @delawarenorth speaks on interest in helping with new #Bills stadium. Coverage @wgrz http://www.wgrz.com/sports/jeremy-jacobs-voices-interest-in-being-involved-with-new-stadium/30723244 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasons1992 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Correct, but there will be a bump in parking prices to bring it closer to a net zero. That does not include the bars and restaurants, etc... that the Pegula's will be able to capitalize on similar to the way that Bob Kraft does with Patriot Place. It will be all part of the downtown development where they will incur revenue all year instead of 10 times. So put a 5,000 seat "Hofbrauhaus" style restaurant/beer garden in Lot 1. 10 times year, and get good bands to come play a stadium once in awhile, and methinks profit goes up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 (edited) So put a 5,000 seat "Hofbrauhaus" style restaurant/beer garden in Lot 1. 10 times year, and get good bands to come play a stadium once in awhile, and methinks profit goes up. It still doesn't become a destination. In order to do that you have to take away parking spots, construct the beer garden, hire bands, staff, etc... You need to sell enough product minus those expenses / cost of goods 10 times a year to be profitable there. That's asking a lot when people still have the alternative of their normal pre game routine. I know that we all like and have become accustomed to our traditions. The problem is the Bills can't meet their revenue objectives even with a remodel. It really is that simple. I'm not advocating for a new stadium here but I am giving you the reasons why one is coming. When the meetings occur in OBD on the business side there is one objective -raising profits. Months of analysis and preparation go into that decision. The Bills probably have a full time staff on the business side of 100 or so people whose job is nothing but that. I work for a large insurance agency and we have just a little larger staff. Whether it be insurance or football the staff's have the same objective -make more money. Unfortunately, for many they aren't sitting in the board room discussing what can be done to enhance fan experience. It's the sad truth. Fan experience improvements are implemented because they believe that those improvements will ultimately increase revenue. That's why you have Dutf's, Dinosaur BBQ, the new team store, heated in the clubs, etc... Edited February 3, 2016 by Kirby Jackson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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