EDIT: Total cost to taxpayers? Bills select sports firm to represent ownership in building new open air stadium in OP, targeted for 2025

[ExiledInIllinois]

3 hours ago, SirAndrew said:

Playing  games away from Buffalo would make the franchise seem very bush league imo. It’s just not something NFL teams do while building a new stadium. 

Bears played at Memorial Stadium in Champaign when Soldier was being rebuilt.

[Boxcar]

3 hours ago, Bob in STL said:

I don’t like any possibility of playing  in Toronto or at Penn State.  

 

Seems very Pegulish, even ridiculous, to mention Penn State, when all they have to do extend the lease until the new facility is built.  
 

 

I guess they would play at BMO Field? Dunno how that would work out with MLS and the CFL. Ugh please don't play the Bills here, Toronto is awful.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Play in Syracuse...

 

[BigAl2526]

My guess is my very occasional live attendance at games will become a thing of the past.  Ticket prices will go up, and when they do, I don't think I'll be able to afford them.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Just now, BigAl2526 said:

My guess is my very occasional live attendance at games will become a thing of the past.  Ticket prices will go up, and when they do, I don't think I'll be able to afford them.

Yup.  Outta my league.   Like Bears here.  The average schmo  simply don't go.  They got meat hooks in parking...  100 bucks to park. 🤪

 

PSLs? Done deal, won't see me at another game.

[Punching Bag]

2 hours ago, Big Blitz said:

It's not just the snow tho.  Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, all manage.  It's just the freaking wind.  If they can get a design to mitigate that then fine I'd love to see it.  

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highmark_Stadium_(New_York)

Quote

Buffalo, by virtue of its position downwind of Lake Erie, is one of the nation's windiest cities, and as a result, Highmark Stadium is difficult for kickers, with swirling winds that change direction rapidly. This is exacerbated by the stadium's design. The field is 50 feet (15 m) below ground level, while the top of the upper deck stands only 60 feet (18 m) above ground. The open end lies parallel to the direction of the prevailing winds, so when the winds come in, they immediately drop down into the bowl, causing the stadium's signature wind patterns.

 

Wind is easy to handle - the stadium was designed to reduce wind but they needed to change orientation of the stadium which resulted in the wind amplification effects.  If stadium was not built into ground, as likely for new stadium, the stadium would be higher and they could increase it with a wind wall as well as texture which absorbed/scattered rather than deflected wind.   Another advantage not building into ground they can build a better field since drainage will be better.

 

[djp14150]

Serious question....

 

why build a new one in orchard park???

[BillsfaninSB]

2 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Bears played at Memorial Stadium in Champaign when Soldier was being rebuilt.

The Vikings played at UM stadium I believe recently.   Chargers played in that soccer stadium as well to name some examples. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

1 hour ago, BillsfaninSB said:

The Vikings played at UM stadium I believe recently.   Chargers played in that soccer stadium as well to name some examples. 

Bills don't have a lot of options as other teams do. Toronto actually isn't a bad idea when we know it's temporary. Make it a fun trip north. 

 

But it's just political pressure. I can't see them playing elsewhere. Erie County would have a lot of angry fans. 

[JoPoy88]

7 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Bills don't have a lot of options as other teams do. Toronto actually isn't a bad idea when we know it's temporary. Make it a fun trip north. 

 

But it's just political pressure. I can't see them playing elsewhere. Erie County would have a lot of angry fans. 

honestly if it takes a year playing home games in a remote location in order to finally get this new thing built and don’t have to worry about ever hearing about “needing” a new stadium again, I am down. Sign me up

[Malazan]

3 hours ago, djp14150 said:

Serious question....

 

why build a new one in orchard park???

 

Short story, the league is demanding it. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

22 minutes ago, JoPoy88 said:

honestly if it takes a year playing home games in a remote location in order to finally get this new thing built and don’t have to worry about ever hearing about “needing” a new stadium again, I am down. Sign me up

2-3 years.

[machine gun kelly]

Given I don’t live in Buffalo and only fly up for one game a year I guess my opinion only has so much weight, but I like the idea.  The infrastructure is developed in OP, there will remain to have lots of tailgating options, and having partial roof will serious cut down on the wind.  I’m guessing it would be similar in nature to Seattle which everyone knows is loud.  I assume they would put large heaters to encourage higher November/December attendance.

 

I hope it works and is profitable for the Pegulas.  It’s the one way to keep the Bills in Buffalo by increasing profitability.

[JoPoy88]

1 minute ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

2-3 years.

Not necessarily. If they really are thinking about leveling the ECC lot to build it there, they can get a season in. It will be 1-2 years though i agree. People are gonna be pissed.

[Doc Brown]

59 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Bills don't have a lot of options as other teams do. Toronto actually isn't a bad idea when we know it's temporary. Make it a fun trip north. 

 

But it's just political pressure. I can't see them playing elsewhere. Erie County would have a lot of angry fans. 

UB seats about 30k.  Chargers played in front of a similar number.

[Not at the table Karlos]

7 hours ago, Doc said:

 

It's a passing league now/for the foreseeable future, Dean.  If the time comes (again) when the Bills don't have a franchise QB, the elements won't make much of a difference, again not that they really have anyway.  I think that the Colts game in 2017 and the Ravens playoff game were a lot closer than they should have been because of the elements.  And having a dome allows it to be used for other things all year round.

I've been using the "other things" as a reason for a dome but the more I think about it, what other things would use it? There's not many stadium concert tours in the winter, any special sporting event would most likely go to the arena. I could see maybe a college bowl game(doubt it would draw a full crowd unless two bigger teams somehow missed the established bowls) or like the actual NCAA final four but that would be maybe once every few years if we even got the finals. There's not much that needs a 60,000+ seat building in Buffalo outside of football. 

[loedward22]

4 hours ago, djp14150 said:

Serious question....

 

why build a new one in orchard park???

1) fans love the current stadium and the tailgating atmosphere it allows; 2) a new stadium will allow the team to generate more revenue.  So to answer your question, to have their cake and eat it too. 

Edited June 19, 2021 by loedward22

[Buffalo_Stampede]

33 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

UB seats about 30k.  Chargers played in front of a similar number.

 

They can add thousands of seats also. 

 

[Draconator]

Why do we have two threads on the same subject?

[Hammers Lot]

Interesting, I for one am Shocked. I also find it interesting that there is an article in Friday's Buffalo News about to many ECC campuses. Shocked I tell you.

[RobbRiddick]

9 hours ago, BillnutinHouston said:

So where's the rendering?

 

Reports say "partially covered" which implies they have a design concept selected.

 

 

[Draconator]

1 minute ago, RobbRiddick said:

 

 

Owners box

[RobbRiddick]

1 minute ago, Draconator said:

Owners box

It's a nice design. I like the way the architect wants to mix the industrial with nature, and the moss/weeds will provide natural cushioning when sitting on the concrete   

[Draconator]

Just now, RobbRiddick said:

It's a nice design. I like the way the architect wants to mix the industrial with nature, and the moss/weeds will provide natural cushioning when sitting on the concrete   

Only the best for Kim

[BuffaloBill]

10 hours ago, NewEra said:

Should have a retractable roof.  It’s really moronic not to have the option.  

 

Expense and scale of stadium. Open air will likely be less costly to build and potentially larger.

[JMF2006]

I don't understand the need to play "away" from the current stadium.

 

Its obviously a negotiation tool which could backfire badly.

 

BTW what happened to the downtown dome?

 

[Chandler#81]

THIS TIME, Please do an extensive, exhaustive GPR study in the area BEFORE the first spadeful of ground captures the cameras’ eye. 2 League titles in the previous 9 years before Ralph stuck his shovel in the Orchard Park mud over ancient Indian burial grounds and the closest we’ve come in the 51 years hence was Wide Right!🤦‍♂️

 

I’m begging you!!

[K-9]

10 minutes ago, JMF2006 said:

I don't understand the need to play "away" from the current stadium.

 

Its obviously a negotiation tool which could backfire badly.

 

BTW what happened to the downtown dome?

 

Playing away suggests they are going to raze the old stadium and build the new one in the same place. Makes sense because the infrastructure is already in place for the most part and that will save a ton of money. 
 

Not sure what happened to the downtown location idea, but the feasibility study they performed along with other market research may have indicated that OP makes the most sense, especially from a cost standpoint.

[JMF2006]

1 minute ago, K-9 said:

Playing away suggests they are going to raze the old stadium and build the new one in the same place. Makes sense because the infrastructure is already in place for the most part and that will save a ton of money. 
 

Not sure what happened to the downtown location idea, but the feasibility study they performed along with other market research may have indicated that OP makes the most sense, especially from a cost standpoint.

 

There is enough land out there to build it beside the current stadium.....just expropriate Hammers Lot

[Chandler#81]

13 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Playing away suggests they are going to raze the old stadium and build the new one in the same place. Makes sense because the infrastructure is already in place for the most part and that will save a ton of money. 
 

Not sure what happened to the downtown location idea, but the feasibility study they performed along with other market research may have indicated that OP makes the most sense, especially from a cost standpoint.

Losing out on my dream for a Dome, I hope they build the new one half underground like Rich/Ralph/NewEra/BS, ect.. Traipsing up all those levels @ NRG Stadium in Houston to the ‘nose bleeds’ ‘bout killed this old duffer! Half underground means street level is mid-stadium and so much easier to reach your seats and the Pee bowls. 

 

[oldmanfan]

I’m surprised it won’t be downtown.

[davefan66]

The good part is the Bills will be competitive until a stadium is built.  Stadium talks now are an attempt to ride the wave of a good season and team.  Can’t see massive public support for the Gregg or Jauron years.
 

I have no issue with that.  Love the current stadium, sight lines are great and would love to see this one upgraded.  At some point it will be unusable as time takes its toll.

[Beast]

9 hours ago, jeremy2020 said:

New Stadiums rarely have enough financial impact to justify the costs even if their financial impact is considerable. Even less so, if you look at other programs for economic enrichment. 

 

As someone who lives out of state and doesn't make it up for home games often, I'm all for spending your tax dollars to give the Bills any competitive advantage a new stadium would offer to the team.

Sometimes it’s OK to spend money on things people enjoy. 

The obvious place they will build it is the main parking lot right next to field house and sports performance center.

[jethro_tull]

11 hours ago, SirAndrew said:

Playing  games away from Buffalo would make the franchise seem very bush league imo. It’s just not something NFL teams do while building a new stadium. 

The Chicago Bears played at the University of Illinois stadium in Champaign, IL. (2 hours south of Chicago) when Soldier Field was upgraded 

[Seasons1992]

11 hours ago, SirAndrew said:

Playing  games away from Buffalo would make the franchise seem very bush league imo. It’s just not something NFL teams do while building a new stadium. 

 

The Bears played in Champaign while they rebuilt Soldier Field....

[SectionC3]

10 minutes ago, davefan66 said:

The good part is the Bills will be competitive until a stadium is built.  Stadium talks now are an attempt to ride the wave of a good season and team.  Can’t see massive public support for the Gregg or Jauron years.
 

I have no issue with that.  Love the current stadium, sight lines are great and would love to see this one upgraded.  At some point it will be unusable as time takes its toll.

 

A little bit.  Politically, it's time to move.  Gotta get this done while Cuomo is there.  Don't know who the next governor will be.  They have a working relationship with Cuomo, and he's incentivized to help now if he wants to run again in 2022.  It's time to cut the deal.  

 

And I don't think they're going to build on the Highmark footprint.  ECC make too much sense.  Erie County wants to close the campus as it is.  New stadium would be the perfect excuse.  The point in yesterday's reports suggested that Toronto/Penn State are temporary options in the event a new lease agreement for Highmark can't. be reached.  The reference to alternate arrangements had nothing to do with construction.  So the guess here is that it's ECC, and that Highmark comes down only after the new stadium is occupied.  

 

The further guess here is that we can expect some sort of design that allows for the quick erection of a rink to allow the Sabres to play some games there during the winter (e.g., against Toronto to fill the place up).  

[4_kidd_4]

Downtown never made any sense in the first place. Kill prime real estate for 10 weekends a year, kill tailgating etc.

 

Traffic would have been a nightmare, and I can’t even imagine the infrastructure issues as well as shutting down swaths of downtown over the course of a couple of years for construction.

 

The way this shook out is totally my personal preference, open air in OP. Love it.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Stupid and short sighted not to build a dome downtown

17 minutes ago, jethro_tull said:

The Chicago Bears played at the University of Illinois stadium in Champaign, IL. (2 hours south of Chicago) when Soldier Field was upgraded 

Shh. This board doesn’t take too kindly to facts

[SoCal Deek]

Simple: Build the new stadium in the parking lot. Tear down the current one when it’s done. There are lots of ways to accommodate the parking inconvenience in the two seasons it’ll take to get it done. You don’t have to move everything to Pennsylvania. 

[WotAGuy]

47 minutes ago, Beast said:

Sometimes it’s OK to spend money on things people enjoy. 

The obvious place they will build it is the main parking lot right next to field house and sports performance center.

A new stadium is likely to have a much larger footprint than the present one. I expect they will add some property to the current layout.  As presently configured, the space is too small, unless they raze the existing and build over top of it. As it is, the present stadium is butting up against property lines. 

Edited June 19, 2021 by WotAGuy