BILLS02138 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 LINK WBFO News print this page Mayor Brown's Vision for City Includes Football Stadium Mark Scott BUFFALO, NY (2006-02-28) The Buffalo Bills have a lease for use of Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park through the end of the 2013 season. But Mayor Byron Brown says it's not too soon for area leaders to start discussions of building a new stadium for the team in downtown Buffalo. The mayor introduced the idea of a downtown stadium during his inaugural ball this past Saturday. Monday, Brown was asked to elaborate. He says it's too soon to say where a downtown stadium would be built. But Brown did not back down from what he says is his bold vision for Buffalo's future. "Like so many others in Western New York, I love the Buffalo Bills. I think they are a great corporate citizen," Brown said. "Just sending a message to them that whatever their future needs might be, Buffalo can certainly satisfy those needs." But County Executive Joel Giambra apparently doesn't share Brown vision. Giambra was caught off guard Monday when asked about the mayor's idea of a downtown stadium. He hadn't yet heard about it. But Giambra says Bills owner Ralph Wilson has made no mention at all of a need to replace the county-owned stadium named after him. "I saw Mr. Wilson not too long ago. He's very happy with the tenant-landlord relationship that exists between Erie County and the Buffalo Bills," Giambra said. "The stadium has years of useful life left." Giambra says there are more immediate priorities for downtown Buffalo, such as making the Erie Community College City Campus a centerpiece of a revitalized downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 So we're to believe that Ralph has NEVER asked for a new stadium? Sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper13 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Good thing that A-Hole Giambra only has a few months left in office. His approval rating is around 1 percent and the only smart thing he ever did was decide to not run for re-election. He will be retired and living in Florida very soon so he will have zero input and zero chance on ever having anything to do with a new stadium for the Bills because he would no doubt F it up beyond recognition. A New Downtown, Waterfront Stadium for the Bills is a freakin fantastic idea. It may be the only thing that keeps the Bills in WNY for the next 30 years. The Bills, Sabres and Bisons all playing Downtown, the new Casino, maybe in our lifetimes a new Peace Bridge, that would be the start of something decent Downtown. Although, they will probably pick a site that has a burned out shell of a building that hasn't been used in 50 years and the preservationists will file 50 lawsuits to stop it. The big problem with Buffalo has been the old guard politicians and their senior citizen constituents. No change, no progress will get you re-elected for the next 30 years. I like the new Mayor's ideas. Thing Big. Think New. Start it up with a new football stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuntheDamnBall Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 I'm not usually one to think that football stadiums are instant revitalizing factors for cities, but if it were part of a revamped harbor in the same way that Baltimore has done it, it could be pretty sick. Who knows? I'd be happy if it keeps the team in town for a really long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrite Gal Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 I think that one of the most important things for Mayor Brown in wanting to move the stadium is to change epicenter for WNY back to Buffalo being the hub of activity and focus rather than the sprawl of focus out in the various burbs. The decision of UB to move its central campus to Amherst had several impacts and effects: 1. It provided a massive subsidy of state funds for building development and the building of roads and sewers to the Amherst area. If individual towns and businesses had to pay the cost for transportation and sewers that has been essential to the development of indiviual businesses or malls investments in them would make little economic sense/ 2. The flight of large amounts of capital and this subsidy coincided with a decison to totally disrupt Main St. downtown to build the Metro. While the Metro made sense in and of itself as a people mover, the decision to build it when they did coincided with a sharp reduction in the number of people coming downtown as the locus of action moved out of the City to the Amherst campus and the new shopping malls because the business center downtown was under repair. Thus, many WNYers have not been in town for years. However, while building a stadium actually makes little economic sense for the municipsliyy as a specific case (Stadiums across the country have proved to be albatrosses on a pure dollar and cents analysis, this has been particularly true of the single use stadiums used for just one sport whose dates of use need to be filled from a limited market of events bih enough to justify their use beyond 10 dates a year guaranteed by the football season). However, it may make some sense when the collateral business opportunities of restaurants and hotels are figured in (though even this addition probably will not flip the scales to make this investment pay) but when one adds in the very extremely difficult factors of once again making Buffalo the centerpiece of WNY and getting folks used to the idea of traveling into Buffalo regularly it MIGHT make ecnomic sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mile High Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 I think that one of the most important things for Mayor Brown in wanting to move the stadium is to change epicenter for WNY back to Buffalo being the hub of activity and focus rather than the sprawl of focus out in the various burbs. The decision of UB to move its central campus to Amherst had several impacts and effects: 1. It provided a massive subsidy of state funds for building development and the building of roads and sewers to the Amherst area. If individual towns and businesses had to pay the cost for transportation and sewers that has been essential to the development of indiviual businesses or malls investments in them would make little economic sense/ 2. The flight of large amounts of capital and this subsidy coincided with a decison to totally disrupt Main St. downtown to build the Metro. While the Metro made sense in and of itself as a people mover, the decision to build it when they did coincided with a sharp reduction in the number of people coming downtown as the locus of action moved out of the City to the Amherst campus and the new shopping malls because the business center downtown was under repair. Thus, many WNYers have not been in town for years. However, while building a stadium actually makes little economic sense for the municipsliyy as a specific case (Stadiums across the country have proved to be albatrosses on a pure dollar and cents analysis, this has been particularly true of the single use stadiums used for just one sport whose dates of use need to be filled from a limited market of events bih enough to justify their use beyond 10 dates a year guaranteed by the football season). However, it may make some sense when the collateral business opportunities of restaurants and hotels are figured in (though even this addition probably will not flip the scales to make this investment pay) but when one adds in the very extremely difficult factors of once again making Buffalo the centerpiece of WNY and getting folks used to the idea of traveling into Buffalo regularly it MIGHT make ecnomic sense. 614574[/snapback] Your posts look familar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 He also didn't say when that stadium would be built. I see nothing wrong with planning for a new stadium, say, 20 years in the future. RWS has years of use left, but to have a plan to replace it down the road is not a bad thing. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 I like the idea of a centralized ECC in downtown. That will get plenty more use than a football stadium sitting dormant for a vast majority of the time. I like the idea Brown is giving it consideration. As long as the shelf-life of ol Ralphie Richie Rich Stadium is fine, keep going to games at OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRH Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 A downtown stadium would rob Bills games of one of the greatest things about going to them: tailgating. Ever been to a game in a downtown stadium? There's hardly any damn place to park, let alone tailgate. And if a new stadium is to be built, it should be built closer to Rochester anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obie_wan Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 However, it may make some sense when the collateral business opportunities of restaurants and hotels are figured in (though even this addition probably will not flip the scales to make this investment pay) but when one adds in the very extremely difficult factors of once again making Buffalo the centerpiece of WNY and getting folks used to the idea of traveling into Buffalo regularly it MIGHT make ecnomic sense. 614574[/snapback] 10 home games a year definitely will revitalize Buffalo and justify the $500 million it will take to build a stadium. I can see how it would make economic sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRC Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Not knowing how many years Ralph has left as the owner of the team, wouldn't it make sense to start talking about a stadium now? Any new owner is going to want a new stadium. Without that, what are the chances of a new owner keeping the team in Buffalo, knowing the team will be playing in a stadium built in 1973. Knowing the city is committed to building a new stadium could do a lot for any future owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdelma Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 And who is going to pay for it. the taxpayers of WNY. Give me a break. What the hell is wrong with OP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 10 home games a year definitely will revitalize Buffalo and justify the $500 million it will take to build a stadium. I can see how it would make economic sense. 614629[/snapback] You beat me to what I wanted to reply. $500 mil is probably an under estimate too! How about taking $500 mil and use that as incentives to bring businesses and jobs to WNY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Has there been any recent review on the structural soundness of the stadium? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 A downtown stadium would rob Bills games of one of the greatest things about going to them: tailgating. Ever been to a game in a downtown stadium? There's hardly any damn place to park, let alone tailgate. And if a new stadium is to be built, it should be built closer to Rochester anyway. 614613[/snapback] Not true.... Heinz field is built right in the middle of pittsburgh downtown at the point where the rivers merge....It is a beautiful sight and plenty of space for tailgating.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 And on the other side of the coin, Baltimore has abysmal tailgating opportunities. Where exactly would a stadium go? East of downtown? East of the HSBC arena? Plenty of room where the steel plant is (was), but holy moly, could be some major wind gusts at some of those games. I say stay at the Ralphie as long as it is feasible to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Not true.... Heinz field is built right in the middle of pittsburgh downtown atthe point where the rivers merge....It is a beautiful sight and plenty of space for tailgating.... 614685[/snapback] Hmm...It's in the so-called Mexican War district, on the North bank of the mouth of the Ohio River. It and the baseball stadium straddle the ground where Three Rivers Stadium used to be. You do get a nice view of downtown, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like A Mofo Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 You beat me to what I wanted to reply. $500 mil is probably an under estimate too!How about taking $500 mil and use that as incentives to bring businesses and jobs to WNY 614643[/snapback] I am no expert on these issues...but does anyone here believe if a new stadium is built, that in itself will create jobs, enhance the city's chances of landing other events like concerts, etc...thus creating more business opportunities around the city (restaurants, etc)... Then if all this happens and people see the downtown Buffalo is somewhat alive again, maybe other busineses would be intrigued to move to the city. Think about this too everyone: If the NFL ever does go away from a cap, it is almost VITAL for the Bills to have a new stadium, to create more revenue, to keep up or at least hold their own against other NFL teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobody Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Plenty of room where the steel plant is (was), but holy moly, could be some major wind gusts at some of those games. Nothing a retractable roof couldn't take care of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 LINK WBFO News print this page Mayor Brown's Vision for City Includes Football Stadium Mark Scott 614546[/snapback] I'm very leery when a politician says he has a vision. In my expereience he is probably a) Stealing other people's ideas. b) Is scurrying to get to the head of a popular parade. c) Beginning to work out the value of the kickbacks he'll get from the construction companies and the trade unions - including votes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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