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

[YoloinOhio]

1 hour ago, RiotAct said:

Bills front office: We love you all so much!   Best fans in the world ❤️

 

Also Bills front office:  taxpayers, who are already being squeezed on multiple fronts, should foot the bill for a new stadium that we don’t need

Technically the NFL says they do need one and have been saying that since they bought the team 

[HalftimeAdjustment]

100% (plus money for the Sabres) is obviously unrealistic. It's hard to look at that as a good position even to open negotiations. Would you list a regular house, valued at $200K, at $700K just to see how high of an offer you would get? 

 

Having said that, I suspect that the sources for the article were government sources who wanted to immediately make the Pegulas look bad, as part of their own negotiating tactic. The more they can fire up opposition the less leverage the Bills will have.

 

The team will have a hard time going about $300M of public contributions in this climate and that would need a really long commitment period.

[Motorin']

On 6/18/2021 at 7:40 PM, Bob in STL said:

Not sure there is a correct direction for every game.  ?? 
 

Part of the charm of “Rich Stadium” was the wind and it is a real advantage if the home team gets the right kickers and learns how to play there.  

 

There was one window in Bills history in the 90's where this was true. But we are kidding ourselves if we don't admit the negative effect those playing conditions had on every team without a QB named Josh or Jim.

[YoloinOhio]

They aren’t moving the team, and will finance a %. There will be negotiations through the media, it’s how it all works. 

[Motorin']

11 minutes ago, HalftimeAdjustment said:

100% (plus money for the Sabres) is obviously unrealistic. It's hard to look at that as a good position even to open negotiations. Would you list a regular house, valued at $200K, at $700K just to see how high of an offer you would get? 

 

Having said that, I suspect that the sources for the article were government sources who wanted to immediately make the Pegulas look bad, as part of their own negotiating tactic. The more they can fire up opposition the less leverage the Bills will have.

 

The team will have a hard time going about $300M of public contributions in this climate and that would need a really long commitment period.

 

$300 million for public ownership of the Sabres ala Green Bay would work.

[HappyDays]

Don't trust anything reported on the negotiations. Both sides will leak things that they think strengthen their position in the public eye. The Bills will not leave Buffalo and eventually there will be a split of private and public funds to build the stadium. Until the final deal is announced everything else is just bluster.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

3 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

They aren’t moving the team, and will finance a %. There will be negotiations through the media, it’s how it all works. 

A big part will also be personal seat license. Maybe in this deal there's no personal seat licenses. That would make sense. 

[SectionC3]

21 minutes ago, BTB said:

Huh?  What properties do the Pegula’s own in OP(other than one small lot adjacent to stadium property) and how does that impact their decison to stay in OP?

It’s going in OP.  Book it. 

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

Oh Terry, Terry, Terry…

What are we gonna do with you Terry? 
 

between the Sabres disaster, eichel embarrassment…and now this?

 

Everyday he must be thankful Elway passed on JA17.  
 

my goodness.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Here's my only issue, there should be multiple designs, locations, and costs that the tax payer can vote on. 

[Malazan]

1 minute ago, RalphWilson'sNewWar said:

Oh Terry, Terry, Terry…

What are we gonna do with you Terry? 
 

between the Sabres disaster, eichel embarrassment…and now this?

 

Everyday he must be thankful Elway passed on JA17.  
 

my goodness.

 

If you're a Bills fan, at least pay attention. 

[Punching Bag]

4 hours ago, Wayne Cubed said:

Think this is a good article to drop in here…

 

https://www.johnlocke.org/policy-position/publicly-funded-stadiums/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=pmd_cb651a1d050db8ed66dac2dbfb34e80368b633f8-1627817756-0-gqNtZGzNAjijcnBszQe6

 

Best for that link to be in PPP.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

3 minutes ago, RalphWilson'sNewWar said:

Oh Terry, Terry, Terry…

What are we gonna do with you Terry? 
 

between the Sabres disaster, eichel embarrassment…and now this?

 

Everyday he must be thankful Elway passed on JA17.  
 

my goodness.

Eichel and the Sabres are the same thing. 

 

 

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

30 minutes ago, Brennan Huff said:

What does?

The sports firm representing Pegula will work with local government to put a tax hike on the ballot to fund the stadium. 

 

If it's voted down "The Sports firm" will theaten to leave Buffalo.

 

This same thing happened with Atlanta and San Diego. 

 

San Diego voters voted down the tax hike multiple times

[klos63]

4 hours ago, Wayne Cubed said:

As this is, as the article states, early stages… this seems like negotiation tactics. So I guess we know which side has released these little nuggets.

sure, negotiating tactics , but for your initial offer to be nothing is a total dick move.

[The Wiz]

1 hour ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

So it begins. 

 

This is exactly what happens in other cities

[LabattBlue]

10 minutes ago, SectionC3 said:

It’s going in OP.  Book it. 

I didn’t say it wasn’t?   I was questioning the fact of the portfolio of properties the Pegula’s have in OP.  

[klos63]

9 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Here's my only issue, there should be multiple designs, locations, and costs that the tax payer can vote on. 

I don't think this is something the fans should be involved in. Mostly not qualified to chime in and way too many opinions to get a consensus.

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

9 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Eichel and the Sabres are the same thing. 

 

 

The overall team performance collapsed I would label as a separate issue from individual player relationships.

[Wayne Cubed]

2 minutes ago, klos63 said:

sure, negotiating tactics , but for your initial offer to be nothing is a total dick move.

 
I mean this is how it plays out, nearly every time this happens. Also, currently the county owns 100% of the current stadium, wouldn’t that make sense where you start negotiations?

 

And all of this coming from an “anonymous” source “early” in negotiations. 

[klos63]

1 minute ago, Wayne Cubed said:

 
I mean this is how it plays out, nearly every time this happens. Also, currently the county owns 100% of the current stadium, wouldn’t that make sense where you start negotiations?

 

And all of this coming from an “anonymous” source “early” in negotiations. 

 

 

why the quotation marks?

[Punching Bag]

35 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

Yeah, but if it doesn't there are newer construction technologies that keep the wind out. It's almost like Rich was constructed in a way that doubles wind speed on the field. 

 

Quote

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.

 

The orientation of the stadium changed after initial design.  Initially the winds would have hit they stands not the open end.  

[Bangarang]

Terry’s cheap 

[Wayne Cubed]

2 minutes ago, klos63 said:

 

 

why the quotation marks?

Well it’s quoting the article, it states both those points in it

Edited August 1, 2021 by Wayne Cubed

[Arkady Renko]

1 hour ago, YoloinOhio said:

Technically the NFL says they do need one and have been saying that since they bought the team 

Yes, but what could the NFL do if the Pegulas didn’t cooperate?

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

19 minutes ago, Arkady Renko said:

Yes, but what could the NFL do if the Pegulas didn’t cooperate?

good question.  Not sure.

 

several owners would feel “betrayed” I figure.  The Mara’s being one of them.

 

Mara was the owner who hinted that Pegula gave the other owners assurances that the stadium issue would be address.

 

mara made it sound it was this assurance that led the owners to give pegula the team and not explore other bids.

[Buffalo716]

3 minutes ago, RalphWilson'sNewWar said:

good question.  Not sure.

 

several owners would feel “betrayed” I figure.  The Mara’s being one of them.

 

Mara was the owner who hinted that Pegula gave the other owners assurances that the stadium issue would be address.

 

mara made it sound it was this assurance that led the owners to give pegula the team and not explore other bids.

Terry had the best bid by far. 

 

Toronto bid 1.05B 

 

Pegula Bid 1.4B 

 

The bids weren't close... And Toronto couldn't closed the gap

[MJS]

Just have to see how it plays out. No need to get bent out of shape from an anonymous source early in the process.

[nucci]

2 minutes ago, MJS said:

Just have to see how it plays out. No need to get bent out of shape from an anonymous source early in the process.

where's the fun in that?

[MJS]

1 minute ago, nucci said:

where's the fun in that?

I think being reasonable is fun, personally. But maybe I'm in the minority.

[Freddie's Dead]

30 minutes ago, RalphWilson'sNewWar said:

good question.  Not sure.

 

several owners would feel “betrayed” I figure.  The Mara’s being one of them.

 

Mara was the owner who hinted that Pegula gave the other owners assurances that the stadium issue would be address.

 

mara made it sound it was this assurance that led the owners to give pegula the team and not explore other bids.

 

Mara can go ***** himself.  Call his team NY when it plays in NJ.  As the only NFL team in New York State, I would expect the State to pony up some public funds.  They coughed up 1B for Yankee Stadium, so we should get ours.  

 

Don't get bent over Pegs opening bid of 100 % public, that's just negotiation.  The real nut is what the PSLs will cost.  People in WNY unlikely to pony up 10-20k, on top of the likely multiple hundreds percent increase in season ticket price.  Get out the popcorn, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

39 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

Terry had the best bid by far. 

 

Toronto bid 1.05B 

 

Pegula Bid 1.4B 

 

The bids weren't close... And Toronto couldn't closed the gap

I get it.

 

but the quotes several owners gave after they approved the Pegula‘s bid made it seem that there was definite concern amongst the owners that the stadium issue be addressed it was a major hangup for a lot of these NFL owners

 

All these other owners are pushing the envelope for new stadiums and now they’re going to let the pegulas buy  a team and just sit at the current stadium that by their own admission didn’t sit over well with them.

 

honestly I can only go off of what some of the owners were willing to say to the press on the record that’s the way the quotes read to me back then that the Pegula‘s were not gonna do anything about the stadium in the immediate future but they understood that by getting permission from the other owners to buy the bills it was kind of a wink wink will take care of this at some point.

 

and if they decide not to I would just assume that would piss off some of the owners who put their faith in the pegulas back then

[Buffalo716]

Just now, RalphWilson'sNewWar said:

I get it.

 

but the quotes several owners gave after they approved the Pegula‘s bid made it seem that there was definite concern amongst the owners that the stadium issue be addressed it was a major hangup for a lot of these NFL owners

 

All these other owners are pushing the envelope for new stadiums and now they’re going to let the pegulas buy  a team and just sit at the current stadium that by their own admission didn’t sit over well with them.

 

honestly I can only go off of what some of the owners were willing to say to the press on the record that’s the way the quotes read to me back then that the Pegula‘s were not gonna do anything about the stadium in the immediate future but they understood that by getting permission from the other owners to buy the bills it was kind of a wink wink will take care of this at some point.

 

and if they decide not to I would just assume that would piss off some of the owners who put their faith in the pegulas back then

It doesn't matter what the owners want.. they got coerced into building billion dollar stadiums so they want others to follow suit 

 

They all split the revenue pie so they all want them have new toys 

 

We're going to get a new stadium eventually that's not out of the question.. but the league  cannot bully Terry into making it happen overnight 

 

That's all they're trying to do is bully.. it's going to happen at its own time

 

And part of the deal was to build a new stadium in time.. there was no 5-year timetable or anything like it placed ... When he has the funds it will happen

 

 

[Chandler#81]

If I gotta pay for it, I want a got dam Dome!😡

[BillsMafi$]

 

[Arkady Renko]

Really takes some of the joy away from the upcoming season.  

 

[Gen2]

All of this talk has me wondering what everybody's thoughts are in supporting a new stadium. Some discussion points as I see them are:

 

1) The elephant in the room is city/county/state support. I understand peoples reluctance in supporting a stadium with taxpayers money, but the fact of the matter is there are locations out there who would be willing to give at least SOME level of support to a stadium, how do you feel 0% - 100% government support or something in between?

 

2) Ticket prices. According to my research, the Bills currently have the lowest average ticket price @ $74.95 with the NFL average @ $104.73 and the highest for the LV Raiders @ $153.47. What level of a ticket price would you support, up to the NFL average, up to Raider levels, somewhere in between?

 

3) PSLs. Personally, I find the mere concept of PSLs distasteful, but the fact of the matter is over half of the NFL charge them to help finance their stadium, how much would you think someone should pay for the "right" to buy a season ticket?

 

 

Since I don't live in western N.Y. anymore I don't feel like I have a dog in this fight, but here are my thoughts anyway.

 

1) I left N.Y. many years ago, and haven't returned to live for a number of reasons, taxes being one of them. With that being said, I don't really care if the city/county/state pick up 100% of the tab, however I AM sensitive that there are a number of better areas that tax dollars can and should be spent. However, I am sure that there are a few cities willing to support at least a portion of a new stadium, St Louis and maybe San Diego or Oakland ... and maybe there are one or two out there hiding in the wood work.

 

2) As I said in item one, I don't live in the area and fly in for a game or two per season. When piled on to airfare, hotel, and food costs, raising ticket prices to even the Raider level would only be a "background noise level" of added expense. I would still be flying in for a game or two per season.

 

3) Once again, I'll never be a season ticket holder so even though I cringe at the thought of PSLs, I really don't care.

 

 

I'm really interested in the western N.Y. Bills fans feelings on the topic, it's just too easy for us expats to spend the locals money. 

[Virgil]

16 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

If I gotta pay for it, I want a got dam Dome!😡

Agreed.  The noise we could generate in a dome would be game changing.  The snow games mattered more when our rivals were the Dolphins.  Most teams are used to the weather and Josh is beast in a dome. If they want a retractable roof, I’m okay with it but I think that’s a lot more money.  
 

Give me a dome, some personality, and leave it in OP.  
 

I don’t blame anyone for negotiating tactics, so I’m not bothered if the current ask by the Pegulas is true.  We still have the cheapest seats in the NFL.  I expect a 50/50 split, which is fair. 

[major]

17 minutes ago, BillsMafi$ said:

 

 

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

19 minutes ago, BillsMafi$ said:

 

Terrible