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Kim Pegula on a New Stadium: "I Don't Even Know If We Can Get There"


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Kim Pegula on new Bills stadium: 'I don't even know if we can get there'

ATLANTA — Kim Pegula sees the Buffalo Bills facing a difficult road toward a new stadium, because all entities involved will balk at contributing to a price tag likely to exceed the team’s purchase price of $1.4 billion.
 
“I don’t even know if we can get there,” the team’s co-owner told The Buffalo News while attending the NFL spring meeting. “I know fans in Buffalo don’t want higher ticket prices, they don’t want PSLs. The state doesn’t want to give you any money, the city doesn’t ... We don’t have a billion-and-a-half dollars sitting around. We used it to buy the team.”
 
Pegula said she and Pegula Sports & Entertainment Chief Operating Officer Bruce Popko have taken the lead on the Bills’ long-term stadium planning since Russ Brandon’s May 1 resignation as president of PSE and its sports franchises.
 
“It’s going to be hard, so that’s why we’re trying to get all the options,” Pegula said.
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  • 26CornerBlitz changed the title to Kim Pegula on a New Stadium: "I Don't Even Know If We Can Get There"

I know this is a very polarizing topic, and the funny thing is I don’t care very much. I love going to games at the Ralph, and I’d be fine with a new stadium. I’m just glad they are still in WNY. 

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She has a good read on the fanbase. She is realistic in assessing the general feeling of the fans. Do we want a new stadium? , sure, Do we want to pay for it through higher ticket prices , PSL's and increased taxes? , Probably not. She knows the landscape she is up against. Smart owner.

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Sounds like the baby steps of moving the team.  Saw the same thing with Chargers (I live in Southern California).  Spanos kept saying it can’t be done even though he had options.  His option A was too lofty to achieve and decided to go.  Planned failure with built in excuse to leave. 

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for 8-10 games a year do they really need a new stadium ?  Look at met life they get 16 plus football games .  a couple of ncaa games , a few soccer matches and several concerts

i am not an engineer but couldn't the Ralph take on a major tech upgrade and some other bells and whistles for a quarter of the cost of a new stadium and still be a fine venue ?

The final thought is , nobody is screaming for a new stadium.  Some towns are fine with what they have.  K.c upgraded Arrowhead.  Packers are fine with their situation.  The Big city Bears keep upgrading their place ect ect 

5 minutes ago, BillsfaninSB said:

Sounds like the baby steps of moving the team.  Saw the same thing with Chargers (I live in Southern California).  Spanos kept saying it can’t be done even though he had options.  His option A was too lofty to achieve and decided to go.  Planned failure with built in excuse to leave. 

they are not selling the team.  She is saying i am not paying and the fans are not paying so if something is going to get done then there better be a ton of outside money 

Edited by baskingridgebillsfan
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12 minutes ago, Guffalo said:

She has a good read on the fanbase. She is realistic in assessing the general feeling of the fans. Do we want a new stadium? , sure, Do we want to pay for it through higher ticket prices , PSL's and increased taxes? , Probably not. She knows the landscape she is up against. Smart owner.

Same exact thing has been said by Russ Brandon many times. I honestly didn't feel comfortable reading this from Kim.

Edited by TheTruthHurts
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Just now, baskingridgebillsfan said:

for 8-10 games a year do they really need a new stadium ?  Look at met life they get 16 plus football games .  a couple of ncaa games , a few soccer matches and several concerts

i am not an engineer but couldn't the Ralph take on a major tech upgrade and some other bells and whistles for a quarter of the cost of a new stadium and still be a fine venue ?

 

You'd think if they updated soldier field and Lambeau it could be done. I'm not sure the Pegulas are feeling that, however.

 

Look, if the people of WNY are serious about retaining the Bills, pony up. If not, that's OK too, just don't cry when they move. Because they will. If the Chargers left a much larger market in SD, the Bills WILL leave Buffalo over a stadium.

 

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1 minute ago, joesixpack said:

 

You'd think if they updated soldier field and Lambeau it could be done. I'm not sure the Pegulas are feeling that, however.

 

Look, if the people of WNY are serious about retaining the Bills, pony up. If not, that's OK too, just don't cry when they move. Because they will. If the Chargers left a much larger market in SD, the Bills WILL leave Buffalo over a stadium.

 

I am not sure how anybody is reading her statement as a threat to leave.  She is simply saying , we are not spending 1.4 billion of our money      

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11 minutes ago, Jay_Fixit said:

There’s plenty wrong with it.

 

Signed, 2018.

Funny we don’t hear that about Lambeau. 

 

Lambeau is somehow considered historic while New eras considered garbagetopolis prime. 

Edited by Bobby Hooks
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3 minutes ago, TheTruthHurts said:

Same exact thing has been said by Russ Brandon many times. I honestly didn't feel comfortable reading this from Kim.

why don't you feel comfortable 

Just now, Bobby Hooks said:

Funny we don’t hear that about Lambeau. 

i know.   The Pegs have to chance the narrative from a new stadium to we love the tradition of our place.   

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