Stadium Construction Discussion (No PSL/Seat selection posts)

[RiotAct]

13 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

A bit off topic but still related when considered in relation to all this talk of luxury suites. My google feed today featured two articles on football coaching/management home prices. The recently fired Defensive Coordinator for the USC Trojans is selling his home in suburban Los Angeles for $4.5 million. That article also says the Trojans Head Coach, who fired him, lives in the next door neighborhood in a home valued at $17.5 million. Whereas Brandon Beane, Bills General Manager just sold his family home in suburban Buffalo for $1.5 million. 

to be fair, a $4.5 million dollar home in suburban LA would probably be equivalent to you average 1400-square foot home in West Seneca

[SoCal Deek]

6 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

to be fair, a $4.5 million dollar home in suburban LA would probably be equivalent to you average 1400-square foot home in West Seneca

The point is that it shows the desperate price point when it comes to things like luxury suites, etc. 

[Just Jack]

I believe I read somewhere that the new stadium will have about 60 suites, whereas the current stadium has over 100.  

[Draconator]

I just drove by the construction site. The retaining walls below ground are in and the first piece of steel is going in the ground.

[RiotAct]

crazy how few renderings we’ve seen so far, considering how far along the project is.

[mrags]

2 hours ago, Just Jack said:

I believe I read somewhere that the new stadium will have about 60 suites, whereas the current stadium has over 100.  

This would back my argument that the organization believes that their lower tiered suite owners would opt for club seats. I have been told there would be multiple tiers of club levels. With different options in seating and setups.
I’d imagine suite like options but not boxed in your own box suite. But sectioned off among the club seat members but with personal options in the areas. Like sofa like seating, tables, televisions, etc. 

[mrags]

1 hour ago, Draconator said:

I just drove by the construction site. The retaining walls below ground are in and the first piece of steel is going in the ground.

Yeah drove by last week. The raining walls are something to see for sure. Pretty impressive. 

1 hour ago, RiotAct said:

crazy how few renderings we’ve seen so far, considering how far along the project is.

It’s been the argument since this whole thing started. There’s really no reason for any of it. 

[Just Jack]

27 minutes ago, mrags said:

This would back my argument that the organization believes that their lower tiered suite owners would opt for club seats. I have been told there would be multiple tiers of club levels. With different options in seating and setups.
I’d imagine suite like options but not boxed in your own box suite. But sectioned off among the club seat members but with personal options in the areas. Like sofa like seating, tables, televisions, etc. 

 

I remember seeing that as one of the options from the pricing survey, a "box" but set up like a living room with sofa's and tables.  

[The Wiz]

It's moving from being VIRTUAL to becoming a REALITIY.

 

 

[SoCal Deek]

23 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

It's moving from being VIRTUAL to becoming a REALITIY.

 

 

Thanks for sharing! They’re much further along than I thought. Still hard to understand why the Bills organization isn’t showing off more of it. Fans only get to see this process once, maybe twice in their lifetimes.

[May Day 10]

2 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Thanks for sharing! They’re much further along than I thought. Still hard to understand why the Bills organization isn’t showing off more of it. Fans only get to see this process once, maybe twice in their lifetimes.

 

It beats me.

 

Also, the lack of any sort of virtual fly throughs, concept drawings, renderings, etc is really unprecedented.  Actually its odd how little the public has seen of this stadium.  It actually makes me hesitant to plunk any money down when they ask for it.

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, SoCal Deek said:

Thanks for sharing! They’re much further along than I thought. Still hard to understand why the Bills organization isn’t showing off more of it. Fans only get to see this process once, maybe twice in their lifetimes.

 

When UBS arena was being built the Islanders had a live webcam running 24-7 and you could check it out and see the progress being made daily as you watched the construction crews working. I am surprised the Bills aren't doing something similar. It was pretty cool seeing the progress of the arena being built. It would be just as nice to see the new Bills Stadium being built.

[LabattBlue]

I’m wondering if the massive cost overruns so early in the construction that fall on Pegula, may have something to do with the lack of renderings, much delayed opening of the virtual ticket center, etc….

 

My gut feeling…be prepared for an almost $2 billion disappointment.  

[The Wiz]

6 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

When UBS arena was being built the Islanders had a live webcam running 24-7 and you could check it out and see the progress being made daily as you watched the construction crews working. I am surprised the Bills aren't doing something similar. It was pretty cool seeing the progress of the arena being built. It would be just as nice to see the new Bills Stadium being built.

Because as soon as people saw this on the webcam there would be complaints about how our taxes are being used.

 

[SoCal Deek]

1 hour ago, LabattBlue said:

I’m wondering if the massive cost overruns so early in the construction that fall on Pegula, may have something to do with the lack of renderings, much delayed opening of the virtual ticket center, etc….

 

My gut feeling…be prepared for an almost $2 billion disappointment.  

It is not at all unusual to see unexpected costs early in a construction project. Mostly because of unanticipated conditions on the site and secondarily due to the design being better vetted by the hundreds of contractors now coming on board. 

[PBF81]

1 hour ago, LabattBlue said:

I’m wondering if the massive cost overruns so early in the construction that fall on Pegula, may have something to do with the lack of renderings, much delayed opening of the virtual ticket center, etc….

 

My gut feeling…be prepared for an almost $2 billion disappointment.  

 

$2 billion?  

 

LOL ... 

 

Buckle up!  

 

 

[Gregg]

Just now, PBF81 said:

 

$2 billion?  

 

LOL ... 

 

Buckle up!  

 

 

 

You know that saying about "**** runs downhill". You know who is at the bottom of the hill here. Enjoy reasonable ticket prices at the current stadium these next couple of seasons. 

[Irv]

4 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

Thanks for sharing! They’re much further along than I thought. Still hard to understand why the Bills organization isn’t showing off more of it. Fans only get to see this process once, maybe twice in their lifetimes.

Unless you live in Atlanta, then 4X.  

[Buffalo Super Fan]

On 11/25/2023 at 8:33 PM, SoCal Deek said:

A bit off topic but still related when considered in relation to all this talk of luxury suites. My google feed today featured two articles on football coaching/management home prices. The recently fired Defensive Coordinator for the USC Trojans is selling his home in suburban Los Angeles for $4.5 million. That article also says the Trojans Head Coach, who fired him, lives in the next door neighborhood in a home valued at $17.5 million. Whereas Brandon Beane, Bills General Manager just sold his family home in suburban Buffalo for $1.5 million. 

The bottom line is for now the NFL owners feel comfortable about Western New York economically going forward with the Buffalo Bills in a new Highmark Stadium or the NFL wouldn’t have approved it instead choosing to look for way out of Western New York. Also even Terry Pegula said the NFL owners would have preferred that Terry Pegula built a dome stadium not a open air again he said it in one of those new Bills stadium videos. I don’t think the empty seats in December is an economic issue it’s a I don’t want to freeze going to the football game issue. Terry Pegula thinks his great idea will work with canopies and heated seats. I personally think this will be another of Terry Pegula’s great ideas that fall short of expectations like the Buffalo Sabres tank the Bills should have domed the whole stadium so Bills fans have more weather certainty that would have increased the odds that the higher price Bills tickets would sellout in my opinion. Go Bills! Let’s Go Buffalo 

Edited December 7, 2023 by Buffalo Super Fan

[clayboy54]

2 hours ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:

The bottom line is for now the NFL owners feel comfortable about Western New York economically going forward with the Buffalo Bills in a new Highmark Stadium or the NFL wouldn’t have approved it instead choosing to look for way out of Western New York. Also even Terry Pegula said the NFL owners would have preferred that Terry Pegula built a dome stadium not a open air again he said it in one of those new Bills stadium videos. I don’t think the empty seats in December is an economic issue it’s a I don’t want to freeze going to the football game issue. Terry Pegula thinks his great idea will work with canopies and heated seats. I personally think this will be another of Terry Pegula’s great ideas that fall short of expectations like the Buffalo Sabres tank the Bills should have domed the whole stadium so Bills fans have more weather certainty that would have increased the odds that the higher price Bills tickets would sellout in my opinion. Go Bills! Let’s Go Buffalo 

Doesn't really matter if you can't get there by car. You just have to buy the tickets. No one worries about whether you'll actually show up or not.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

A $2 billion stadium is crazy. They literally wasted a billion building this stadium 5 years too late.

[Simon]

3 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

A $2 billion stadium is crazy. They literally wasted a billion building this stadium 5 years too late.

 

Or did they save a billion building it 5 years early?

[Buffalo_Stampede]

2 minutes ago, Simon said:

 

Or did they save a billion building it 5 years early?

Well both. Although I believe the stadium would be unsafe in less than 5 years. 

Edited December 7, 2023 by Buffalo_Stampede

[SoCal Deek]

4 hours ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:

The bottom line is for now the NFL owners feel comfortable about Western New York economically going forward with the Buffalo Bills in a new Highmark Stadium or the NFL wouldn’t have approved it instead choosing to look for way out of Western New York. Also even Terry Pegula said the NFL owners would have preferred that Terry Pegula built a dome stadium not an open air again he said it in one of those new Bills stadium videos. I don’t think the empty seats in December is an economic issue it’s a I don’t want to freeze going to the football game issue. Terry Pegula thinks his great idea will work with canopies and heated seats. I personally think this will be another of Terry Pegula’s great ideas that fall short of expectations like the Buffalo Sabres tank the Bills should have domed the whole stadium so Bills fans have more weather certainty that would have increased the odds that the higher price Bills tickets would sellout in my opinion. Go Bills! Let’s Go Buffalo 

My post was simply about the relative state of the WNY economy relative to luxury boxes, property values, etc in other areas of the country. I’m confident the Bills have done the feasibility studies or they wouldn’t be moving forward but it’s definitely going to be a challenge. 

[Punching Bag]

15 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

My post was simply about the relative state of the WNY economy relative to luxury boxes, property values, etc in other areas of the country. I’m confident the Bills have done the feasibility studies or they wouldn’t be moving forward but it’s definitely going to be a challenge. 

 

They are counting on Bills fans being irrational - irrational buying not irrational ranting mob.

[SoCal Deek]

14 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

They are counting on Bills fans being irrational - irrational buying not irrational ranting mob.

I’m sure there’s certainly some of that, but I’m not so sure that works at the corporate box level. 

[Punching Bag]

11 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

I’m sure there’s certainly some of that, but I’m not so sure that works at the corporate box level. 

And they are counting on their marketing partners - travel and ticket agencies which sell to opposition fans.

Being in DC area every time Washington plays in Buffalo I get email about ticket packages with airfare, hotel, transportation and tailgate.  I cannot seem to get off their email list so I just block them until they change it.  Reminds me of TSW with alternate accounts.

[mrags]

1 minute ago, Limeaid said:

And they are counting on their marketing partners - travel and ticket agencies which sell to opposition fans.

Being in DC area every time Washington plays in Buffalo I get email about ticket packages with airfare, hotel, transportation and tailgate.  I cannot seem to get off their email list so I just block them until they change it.  Reminds me of TSW with alternate accounts.

This 100%. People need to realize that the people going to games in the modern nfl (not small markets like Buffalo) are through agencies, marketing, etc. the only reason why Buffalobis the way they are is because tix are so cheap that the local fans can buy them the way they are. Once the new stadium is built things will change. It’s a huge reason why the new stadium will have 10,000 less seats than the current one. Because your 20 something year old kids aren’t buying tickets with pizza delivery money anymore. They are gearing tickets to families and more middle aged professionals who spend money vs getting trashed in the parking lots and puking all over themselves in the stadium. 

[Bferra13]

43 minutes ago, mrags said:

This 100%. People need to realize that the people going to games in the modern nfl (not small markets like Buffalo) are through agencies, marketing, etc. the only reason why Buffalobis the way they are is because tix are so cheap that the local fans can buy them the way they are. Once the new stadium is built things will change. It’s a huge reason why the new stadium will have 10,000 less seats than the current one. Because your 20 something year old kids aren’t buying tickets with pizza delivery money anymore. They are gearing tickets to families and more middle aged professionals who spend money vs getting trashed in the parking lots and puking all over themselves in the stadium. 

Are they cheap anymore? Not on the secondary market they ain't. And that has to do with their level of play. Not the market size or new v old stadium.

[PBF81]

3 minutes ago, Bferra13 said:

Are they cheap anymore? Not on the secondary market they ain't. And that has to do with their level of play. Not the market size or new v old stadium.

 

Interesting that you say that, because by their survey, the new prices are going to mimic the aftermarket prices here a lot more closely than they will the current pricing structure, and that w/o the consideration of PSLs.  

 

I'm simply curious when these alluded to virtual tours are going to start for those interested in buying future seasons/PSLs and willing to drop the $150 non-refundable deposit that's reportedly required to do so.  

 

 

[Mango]

On 12/7/2023 at 9:19 AM, LabattBlue said:

I’m wondering if the massive cost overruns so early in the construction that fall on Pegula, may have something to do with the lack of renderings, much delayed opening of the virtual ticket center, etc….

 

My gut feeling…be prepared for an almost $2 billion disappointment.  

 

It has been mentioned on SabreSpace that Pegula is concerned about the increased costs of the stadium, and saving money for it is part of why he does not want to move on from Granato. 

Meatballs makes just under $2M per year and will have 2 years left on his contract. 

That is like making $100k per year and refusing to change your brake pads on your car to save money. 
 

[JDHillFan]

8 minutes ago, Mango said:

 

It has been mentioned on SabreSpace that Pegula is concerned about the increased costs of the stadium, and saving money for it is part of why he does not want to move on from Granato. 

Meatballs makes just under $2M per year and will have 2 years left on his contract. 

That is like making $100k per year and refusing to change your brake pads on your car to save money. 
 

If it was said on Sabrespace it has to be true. You can take that to the bank! 

[Buffalo03]

On 12/7/2023 at 9:13 AM, May Day 10 said:

 

It beats me.

 

Also, the lack of any sort of virtual fly throughs, concept drawings, renderings, etc is really unprecedented.  Actually its odd how little the public has seen of this stadium.  It actually makes me hesitant to plunk any money down when they ask for it.

Do we know that other cities show more of their new built stadiums? I mean, as of right now, techincally there really isn't a whole lot to show. I did hear at some point in the building process that some place in Buffalo was supposed to be doing a virtual reality look of the stadium where the fans get the feel of being in the stadium through virtual reality. I'm not sure how long it will be before that comes out but that does seem interesting

[Mango]

11 minutes ago, JDHillFan said:

If it was said on Sabrespace it has to be true. You can take that to the bank! 

 

It is a message board dude. People are talking. That is it.  I certainly didn't present it is gospel. 

 

No need to take shots. 
 

[mrags]

37 minutes ago, Bferra13 said:

Are they cheap anymore? Not on the secondary market they ain't. And that has to do with their level of play. Not the market size or new v old stadium.

Just wait until the new stadium is built if you don’t think these tix are cheap 

[Virgil]

I overall have a bad feeling about this new stadium.  I think PSL's and seat pricing will drop too high and the team will eventually have to drop the prices a bit.  But by that point, all the veteran season ticket holders will have lost their seat priority and really just mess the whole thing up.

 

I'll be very happy to be wrong, but this process has just felt overly complicated and hush hush

[Warcodered]

 

 

[mrags]

1 hour ago, Warcodered said:

 

 

A helecopter view from inside the virtual concourses would be cool. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

too soon?

[Just Jack]

4 hours ago, Bferra13 said:

Are they cheap anymore? Not on the secondary market they ain't. And that has to do with their level of play. Not the market size or new v old stadium.

 

I've got the cheapest club seats you can get and am at the top end of what I'm willing to pay for seasons.  I doubt the new stadium will have seats at the same price point with similar amenities that I get now.  So I'll probably just buy on the secondary marker the games I want to go to. 

[LabattBlue]

Whenever this thread pops up, all I keep thinking about is those ridiculous “Just Freeze Baby” banners.  I really hope those don’t end up happening. It would be embarrassing in a 2 billion dollar stadium. 😂