Jump to content

Kathy Hochul: San Diego was interested in taking the Bills away from Buffalo


Greg S

Recommended Posts

A very legitimate source said there were cities interested in taking the Bills away from Buffalo before the team struck a deal for a new stadium.

On Wednesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said via WNYC radio that cities that specifically lost teams wanted to land the Bills had there been a possibility.

She went on to indicate that San Diego was one.

“I was aware that they were being reached out to by other cities that have lost teams before. That is real,” Hochul said.

“My whole life there was talk of them going to Toronto… Buffalo is a very small market. It is quite extraordinary that they have a team at all,” she added. “Because there’s a lot more money to be had in those larger cities like San Diego and others who would love to have a team. So, that’s a reality most people probably aren’t familiar with.”

Hochul, a western New York native, would be well aware of the Toronto subject.

On March 28, it was officially announced that a $1.4 billion venue would be built for the Bills in Orchard Park next to their current home. The team will be locked into playing there for at least 30 years and will begin in 2026.

The building will officially be an open-air stadium with about a 62,000-seating capacity.

The Bills and the NFL will front $550M for the project. The $850M total from taxpayers covers 61 percent of the total cost of construction.

Other markets that lost NFL franchises in the past include St. Louis and Oakland.

  • Like (+1) 4
  • Vomit 1
  • Eyeroll 1
  • Haha (+1) 1
  • Thank you (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Dablitzkrieg said:

Water is wet too

 

This just reinforces the fact that she was able to get a deal done and secure the long term future for the Bills in WNY. We(fans) can relax and don't have to worry about relocation anymore. SD can wait 34 years now if they want the Bills. By that time I will probably be taking a permanent dirt nap.

  • Like (+1) 8
  • Haha (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

My spec. is that simply trying to let her voters know the threat was real and make the $850 mil. More palatable.  Who knows how serious San Diego was when they wouldn’t fork up the $ for a newer Chargers stadium.  It went to a refendum (like everything on the left coast)

True. But she only mentioned San Diego.  There seems to have been other places as well.  Pegula’s would definitely be fronting all the money for a California stadium.  Public money for new stadiums isn’t a thing out here.

Edited by purple haze
  • Agree 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

PH, yep, and you’d think some of the detractors at least felt a little better that what $450 mil. Of it comes from gambling $.  
 

Im in no rush for the new stadium simply as when I fly up with my kids for a September game, it’s four airfares, tix, and spending for the whole family while there.  It’s an investment which is why I’ve only in the last few years gone up twice and of course the wind was miserable in beginning of November.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Taint nothing worse than a story w/o a link. 

 

Quote

Hochul referenced years of rumors about the Bills moving to nearby Toronto, while also sharing that San Diego and other larger cities that recently lost NFL franchises had reached out to the Pegulas about relocating their franchise.

 

Edited by SlimShady'sSpaceForce
  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saw some tweets talking about the deal that noted something that I think people tend to ignore for some reason. As rich as the Pegula's are it's not realistic to think they just have a 1 Billion+ available to just spend on this, their net worth is including assets.

  • Agree 1
  • Awesome! (+1) 1
  • Thank you (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, purple haze said:

True. But she only mentioned San Diego.  There seems to have been other places as well.  Pegula’s would definitely be fronting all the money for a California stadium.  Public money for new stadiums isn’t a thing out here.

That’s because they are always broke with excessive spending by the govt.  Sorry, I’ve had three home offices out there for Mgmt meetings. Multiple times a year and was appalled by the excessive spending.

  • Thank you (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, machine gun kelly said:

My spec. is that simply trying to let her voters know the threat was real and make the $850 mil. More palatable.  Who knows how serious San Diego was when they wouldn’t fork up the $ for a newer Chargers stadium.  It went to a refendum (like everything on the left coast)


 

Agreed, but Baltimore wouldn’t fork over the money and the Colts moved - suddenly they find the money and steal the Browns.

 

Cleveland couldn’t find the money and when the Baltimore threat was realized - suddenly Cleveland found the money and then built a stadium for the new Browns.

 

The same goes for St. Louis - lost the Cardinals - built a huge new dome for the Rams.  Oakland lost the Raiders to LA and then got them back and lost them again over Stadium money.  
 

Houston needed a new stadium - lost the Oilers - built a huge new dome for the Texans. LA had 2 teams leave that needed new stadiums and tax breaks - San Diego needed a new stadium - lost the Chargers - why would it be a surprise that suddenly they decided they could force through the tax increase on Hotels that failed and make another nice offer.

 

I would call BS except the exact same thing has happened at least 8 times in the last 30 years and every town that lost a team suddenly found funding to throw at a new team.  
 

Every time.

 

The difference is if the Bills left Buffalo - they were not coming back - we were dead.

 

 

  • Like (+1) 11
  • Agree 8
  • Awesome! (+1) 5
  • Thank you (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Ya Digg? said:

So the team that already showed they couldn’t afford/help pay for a team was somehow going to land another team?? 

 

That is how the game is played. Strange, I know…….  🤷‍♂️

  • Like (+1) 1
  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is OLD. A NEW topic should be started unless there is a very specific reason to revive this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...