OT: New York Approves Location of New Bills Stadium

[Ian]

There had been news about it previously, but the state approved it yesterday and is expected to put up the majority of the funding:

State says it wil approve location for new football stadium - KRDO

By Stephen T. Watson, Tim O’Shei Click here for updates on this story ORCHARD PARK, New York (The Buffalo News) — New York is willing to accept a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park if this remains the team’s preference, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday morning. This is the first...

krdo.com

They're essentially building it next to the existing one, much like Robert Kraft did with Gillette. Except, obviously, Mr. Kraft put up his own money where the state of Massachusetts hemmed and fought at the time about paying for the infrastructure before finally agreeing to it.

 

[upstater1]

There had been news about it previously, but the state approved it yesterday and is expected to put up the majority of the funding:

State says it wil approve location for new football stadium - KRDO

By Stephen T. Watson, Tim O’Shei Click here for updates on this story ORCHARD PARK, New York (The Buffalo News) — New York is willing to accept a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park if this remains the team’s preference, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday morning. This is the first...

krdo.com

They're essentially building it next to the existing one, much like Robert Kraft did with Gillette. Except, obviously, Mr. Kraft put up his own money where the state of Massachusetts hemmed and fought at the time about paying for the infrastructure before finally agreeing to it.

What I'm hearing locally in Erie County is that the County will be sued if there is a chunk coming from the county and there's no referendum at least. The Bills statement that everyone wants in Orchard Park is self-serving. I also think they are going to raise ticket prices and lose their current clientele of Bills mafia table-breaking fans. I do think there are enough fans who would pay the higher prices if they knew their families wouldn't be assaulted by louts and peed on by drunkards.

I had a friend who went to her first Bills game in recent weeks and she commented after the game, in her typical humorous style, "The great thing about going to my first Bills game is knowing that I'm not the worst person here."

 

[reflexblue]

I was talking to a bills fan a couple of months ago and brought up the stadium and the owner threatening to move the team. He pointed out that the bills are the Only team in NY state proper, and the state will pay for a new stadium.

 

[VrabelJr]

“The state will pay for a new stadium” aka the people. I’m so sick and tired of public money for private profit.

 

[jah]

“The state will pay for a new stadium” aka the people. I’m so sick and tired of public money for private profit.

If it's gonna be that way, at least make it affordable to go to games. Jesus

 

[Ivan]

“The state will pay for a new stadium” aka the people. I’m so sick and tired of public money for private profit.

While I understand that sentiment it depends upon the benefits that will accrue to the community. I live in Portland Maine and years ago there was a debate about bringing a Red Sox minor league team to the city, but the catch was that the city would have to shell out a couple of million to renovate Hadlock t to be their home. Ultimately a deal was reached and the city renovated Hadlock and got the Sea Dogs. The return on that investment has been huge for the city, so it was a good decision despite giving funding that many wanted ownership to provide. However the investment in this case was minute compared to the billion or so that building a new football stadium requires, and it’s doubtful that the state would ever get a return that would match their investment. In this case I would oppose public funding, unless ownership could demonstrate that it would ultimately be a good return on taxpayers money, and I doubt they could do that.

 

[Disco Volante]

**** the cheap owner.

Good for Bills fans though, they have been a consistently passionate fanbase regardless of how ****ty their team has been.

Also, **** having a football team in Canada

 

[Bill Lee]

If it's gonna be that way, at least make it affordable to go to games. Jesus

I don't know a lot about religion, but I'm willing to say Jesus ain't gonna be at any Bills home game, no matter what it costs.

IMO it's amazing what one good draft pick, Josh Allen, can mean for the owners, the league, and the local economy.

A study commissioned by the state agreed with the need for a new stadium to replace Highmark Stadium, which is nearly 50 years old, but did not recommend between a stadium near downtown Buffalo or one in Orchard Park. That 91-page report by the engineering firm AECOM projected a new stadium in Orchard Park would cost $1.35 billion – close to the Bills’ own $1.4 billion estimate. The report also said a city facility would cost “a minimum of approximately $350 million more than a stadium in Orchard Park,” and perhaps in excess of $2.1 billion.

“We have had conversations and I’ve made it clear to the Buffalo Bills organization that we wanted to accommodate both options and let them see the cost of downtown and Orchard Park,” Hochul said. “But not putting our finger on the scale. And if their desire is Orchard Park, it’s Orchard Park. We’ve never said otherwise.”

No way $1.4B will be getting spent if someone like Daniel Jones (or, God forbid, Josh Rosen) was the Buffalo QB instead of Josh Allen, IMO. Baker Mayfield was chosen #1 in 2018 and Allen was #7, and if they had Mayfield instead I think this deal would not be on the table.

Locking Allen in early and for a long contract was probably the smartest investment the Pagulas ever made. It made everyone feel good about the long term future of the Bills, and now they're gonna get a billion dollar plus windfall from the taxpayers of New York.

 

[VectorPrime]

Is it gonna be a dome? If so kick the Bills out of the division.

 

[Ring 6]

“The state will pay for a new stadium” aka the people. I’m so sick and tired of public money for private profit.

It’s not public money for private profit, it’s public money for the entity to exist your jurisdiction so that it enjoys the financial benefits.

 

[jah]

It’s not public money for private profit, it’s public money for the entity to exist your jurisdiction so that it enjoys the financial benefits.

Who's "it"?

 

[Ring 6]

While I understand that sentiment it depends upon the benefits that will accrue to the community. I live in Portland Maine and years ago there was a debate about bringing a Red Sox minor league team to the city, but the catch was that the city would have to shell out a couple of million to renovate Hadlock t to be their home. Ultimately a deal was reached and the city renovated Hadlock and got the Sea Dogs. The return on that investment has been huge for the city, so it was a good decision despite giving funding that many wanted ownership to provide. However the investment in this case was minute compared to the billion or so that building a new football stadium requires, and it’s doubtful that the state would ever get a return that would match their investment. In this case I would oppose public funding, unless ownership could demonstrate that it would ultimately be a good return on taxpayers money, and I doubt they could do that.

If 60,000 fans spend $200 each per game on tickets, food, gear, parking (a low estimate) that’s $12000000 at 8% sales tax or about $1 mill per game. $10 mill per year over 20 years just in sales tax at the football games, you bring in 200 million.
The teams payroll of probably close to 200 mill generates income tax to the state of 20 mill per year (top NYS tax rate 10.9%), over 20 years that’s another 400 mill.
The sales tax on spending that income in the community adds at least another 100 mill. Having a number of millionaires living in the community increases property tax revenues because of the houses they build. The Bills will pay NYS income tax on their profits. These items will pay for the cost of the stadium before we even consider
1) other events such as concerts that will
Produce more tax revenue
2) the revenue to local businesses generated by having a football team
3) the taxes paid on all the gear purchased not counted in the game day estimate above.

There is no question it’s a good investment for the community.

 

[Ring 6]

Who's "it"?

The community and the government through tax revenues generated by having a team.

 

[GreenCow]

Is it gonna be a dome? If so kick the Bills out of the division.

At the risk of being banned for speaking, no the Bills are not planning on a dome. Though many fans want one.

 

[Ivan]

**** the cheap owner.

Good for Bills fans though, they have been a consistently passionate fanbase regardless of how ****ty their team has been.

Also, **** having a football team in Canada

I would much rather see a team or team’s in Canada than in Europe. Kraft claimed there would be an NFL team in London by 2020 about 5 years ago, and I am really glad they failed to get that done.

 

[RobertWeathers]

While I understand that sentiment it depends upon the benefits that will accrue to the community. I live in Portland Maine and years ago there was a debate about bringing a Red Sox minor league team to the city, but the catch was that the city would have to shell out a couple of million to renovate Hadlock t to be their home. Ultimately a deal was reached and the city renovated Hadlock and got the Sea Dogs. The return on that investment has been huge for the city, so it was a good decision despite giving funding that many wanted ownership to provide. However the investment in this case was minute compared to the billion or so that building a new football stadium requires, and it’s doubtful that the state would ever get a return that would match their investment. In this case I would oppose public funding, unless ownership could demonstrate that it would ultimately be a good return on taxpayers money, and I doubt they could do that.

It'll be interesting to see what kind of ROI the City of Worcester and MA realizes from it's respective contributions to the construction of Polar Park. Of the total cost of $160m, the city kicked in $88m, Fenway Sports $61m and the State of MA $11m.

 

[upstater1]

If 60,000 fans spend $200 each per game on tickets, food, gear, parking (a low estimate) that’s $12000000 at 8% sales tax or about $1 mill per game. $10 mill per year over 20 years just in sales tax at the football games, you bring in 200 million.
The teams payroll of probably close to 200 mill generates income tax to the state of 20 mill per year (top NYS tax rate 10.9%), over 20 years that’s another 400 mill.
The sales tax on spending that income in the community adds at least another 100 mill. Having a number of millionaires living in the community increases property tax revenues because of the houses they build. The Bills will pay NYS income tax on their profits. These items will pay for the cost of the stadium before we even consider
1) other events such as concerts that will
Produce more tax revenue
2) the revenue to local businesses generated by having a football team
3) the taxes paid on all the gear purchased not counted in the game day estimate above.

There is no question it’s a good investment for the community.

Tax revenue is a net nothing. Plenty of studies have proven this. I mean, the revenue comes from local sources any way you cut it.

The only viable argument for this sort of thing is the state income tax, but according to the article above the cost of the stadium will dwarf the income received from state taxes. So, the question is, how much money do you want to lose to enrich a guy who is worth $7billion+?

BTW--your estimate of costs for a Bills game is way over. It's about $75 a game for seasons in the 2nd tier. Parking is on peoples lawns on $10 a pop shared by 4 people in a car. Food is what you bring to the game. Not much of this other than the $75 game ticket is going to generate local tax. The only extra comes from the 15% of the season ticket base that lives in Ontario. You generate income that way.

 

[upstater1]

At the risk of being banned for speaking, no the Bills are not planning on a dome. Though many fans want one.

The owner is an idiot for not paying for the dome himself.

 

[upstater1]

I am also mystified why they're not considering a downtown stadium since that area of the city is really beginning to buzz. This has just been built adjacent to the land targeted for a downtown stadium: Buffalo Riverworks

I've gone down there plenty and there are a ton of people milling around. A stadium next door would finally connect this part of town to the Inner Harbor where the Sabres play at First Bank Arena. It's a missed opportunity.

There are also a lot more highways and roads to access this part of downtown (3 highways & a 6 lane road -- Broadway) than there are for Orchard Park (2 highways).

I believe this has to do with the expense of building downtown, but it also speaks to Pegula's unwillingness to pony up some money, and his safe bet that he can continue to attract tablebreakers rather than worrying about who will show up downtown.

 

[DarrylS]

Thank goodness for Mr. Kraft as he self financed Gillette, in his wisdom created a very lucrative business venture from it.. although Patriot Place always seems deserted.

Looks like it is turning into a mecca for medical facilities..