OT: New York Approves Location of New Bills Stadium

[RobertWeathers]

I don’t know anything about that project but I could see a return on investment of over 100 million if it’s a good venue that attracts a ton of customers in coming years. It’s much harder to see that if you are talking about a billion $$$$.

It's a decent park. The whole Kelly Sq area needs an enema. Lots of work to do and more spending is required.

 

[XLIX]

If visiting players get taxed too then that means the Bills do not get taxed for out of state games, doesn't it?

I honestly don't know NY tax law but I have a pretty strong feeling they get you comin' and goin'.

Regardless it's 10% x $200b. You have to account for the interest paid on that debt which reduces the income tax return and also of course the upkeep on the stadium. If it's a $1.5b job (conservatively) and the state pays most of it, I don't think you make your money back when you account for interest and upkeep. Pegula must use the NFL loans to pay for his fair share.

Yes I know that money today is worth more than money tomorrow, but we are still talking about a pretty decent chunk of change from just the income taxes alone.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

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

kick this piece of cow dung out of here!!!

 

[Ring 6]

If they do tax the visitors how do they treat Bills income from away games? When we had dual domiciles and earned in both Michigan and NY state, NY didn't tax our Michigan revenue because we fell under the threshold (it depends on how many days you worked in Michigan).

In other words, if they tax visiting players, then they won't tax the Bills 8x a year for away games

They are not taxed as residents so it’s not the same.

 

[Ring 6]

How many studies do you want me to link to that show there is no local tax gain?

Here's an article quoting people who study these things: Research shows sports stadiums generate little new economic acivity.

I don’t need a study to tell me that if you have multi million dollar company with a multi million dollar payroll in your community it helps the economy of the community.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Lots of wrong information here. Bills average ticket is $101 per seat (yeah you can get nosebleeds for $75, but the average price is what you want to use in calculations - not nosebleed pricing). As for parking, yes there is parking on people's lawns but the VAST majority of parking is done at the stadium lot with nearly 15,000 parking spots.

Food/Drink isn't allowed in the stadium (unless its a single serve sandwhich/soda and hasnt for a long time). The line for concessions is always stupid long as well.

I have literally no idea where you got this idea that Bills fans pay $75 per ticket, all park on peoples lawns, and carry coolers full of hot dogs and beer into the stadium. Did you last go to a stadium in the 1950's or something???

PS, again, I apologize for posting my opinion.

 

[‘Mondre]

**** 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 feel like pats fans tend to patronize that fan base in a condescending way. The collective narcissism in the pats fanbase is on Dallas levels.

**** em man. Everybody who’s a fan likes their team.

 

[Tunescribe]

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.

 

[GreenCow]

The area proposed for the downtown stadium is bigger than the current footprint in Orchard Park. We're talking about many acres of empty industrial park and the abandoned Perry St Projects. The only question about downtown has ever been road access, not space. Because there's more space in the area behind the Seneca Casino all the way down to the river by the park.

You’re wrong.

Not only is there not enough land, but it was recently revealed that the Bills would need to displace 3,000 people just to get their stadium to fit.

Downtown Bills stadium could displace 3,000 - Investigative Post

Report says new stadium in Old First Ward would require more land than previously believed and prove disruptive to the neighborhood.

www.investigativepost.org

 

[GreenCow]

Season tickets, ever heard of them?

Read and weep: https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/bills/bills-finalize-season-ticket-pricing-for-2021

"The average regular, non-club seat will cost $82.14 per-game, an increase of $7.68."

You didn’t read the rest of it lol.

$82 is the price of non-club seats.

Of course if you take away the expensive seats and only leave the cheap seats the number would be lower LOL. Not to mention the Bills entire second tier (a large number) is club seats.

Rest of the article…

“2021 season tickets will increase by an overall weighted average of $8.02 per-seat, per-game, bringing the average price per ticket to $101.69.”

When you include club seats the average rises to over $100 per ticket.

Read and weep…

My friends told me last year what they paid, and it was $75. That's for the average seat. They went up to $82 this year apparently.

Nope.

You just stopped reading the article before it go to the actual average - not the cheap seat average.

As for food / drink you just explained why everyone has tailgates outside the stadium because the prices are insane inside and the lines are long.

If *everyone* eats outside the stadium (they don’t), then how would the concession lines be so long??

When did you last go to the stadium if you don't even know what a Bills tailgate is like and you're completely unaware of the ticket prices?

For heaven's sake you call yourself a Bills fan?

I go every year.

You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.

 

[upstater1]

They are not taxed as residents so it’s not the same.

As I said, we weren't taxed at all, 0%, for work in NY when we resided in Michigan. We were under a threshold.

 

[upstater1]

I don’t need a study to tell me that if you have multi million dollar company with a multi million dollar payroll in your community it helps the economy of the community.

Sigh. Why change the subject? I'm the one saying the state makes it on income tax, but this study shows sales tax for the county doesn't add. So what part of the points made do you disagree with?

 

[Joker]

NO ONE ELSE in the country goes NEAR Barfalo no matter what time of the year it is, Green Mongo Cow

 

[XLIX]

The roads are already in place for downtown, as I wrote earlier. I could see a problem only with Monday night games, but Buffalo's business district is relatively empty on Sundays. There are 3 highways (190, 33, 5) leading to the downtown plot and a few major roads (Broadway, etc.)

Sounds like a good plan.

The only thing I know about Buffalo is it is an all-American city. I know this because heading westbound on the NY Thruway (I-90) there is a sign that welcomes you to "Buffalo - All American City". It also is strange in that the thruway is not tolled in/near the city. So when you're heading westbound you have to pay your toll before you hit Buffalo (which is just EZ Pass) to close out the couple hundred miles you've driven since just west of the Mass border. Then after a couple miles (which usually takes 3 hours due to traffic) you open back up the toll account which takes you all the way to PA.

Also in this final stretch of road in Angola, NY, is a great rest area. Lot of food options including my favorite, Auntie Anne's.

BTW, this is not a fun drive in wintertime. The Finger Lakes leading you from Syracuse to Buffalo.... not fun in winter usually....

 

[Twentytothree]

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.

This is obvious nonsense. To realize that, just see that what you "bring in" here is proportional to the tax rate. You don't have a net gain for the local economy by taxing the local populace.

 

[1960Pats]

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

Hear hear.

 

[Simpelton]

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.

And by doing that, Kraft made sure that he got the lion's share of the profits from the Dynasty years with no profit sharing arrangements or back room deals. I think it's very safe to say Kraft made his money back and then some on the deal. Something the rest of the Billionaires Club might well bear in mind.

 

[1960Pats]

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..

I remember hearing Kraft talk about Patriot Place before it was built. He was comparing it to one of the 7 wonders of the world. It turned out to be nothing more than a shopping mall.

 

[upstater1]

Sounds like a good plan.

The only thing I know about Buffalo is it is an all-American city. I know this because heading westbound on the NY Thruway (I-90) there is a sign that welcomes you to "Buffalo - All American City". It also is strange in that the thruway is not tolled in/near the city. So when you're heading westbound you have to pay your toll before you hit Buffalo (which is just EZ Pass) to close out the couple hundred miles you've driven since just west of the Mass border. Then after a couple miles (which usually takes 3 hours due to traffic) you open back up the toll account which takes you all the way to PA.

Also in this final stretch of road in Angola, NY, is a great rest area. Lot of food options including my favorite, Auntie Anne's.

BTW, this is not a fun drive in wintertime. The Finger Lakes leading you from Syracuse to Buffalo.... not fun in winter usually....

"All-American City" is a thing. I forget who designates that. But it's not self-proclaimed. Still confusing though.

EZPass is one of the worst companies in the world. I get charged $14 for a 15 cent trip some days. Because the sensor doesn't catch my cars pass on the entry point. I let a bunch of bad charges pile up before I spend my 2 hours on the phone correcting them once every 3 months. I wonder who else can't be bothered to spend 2 hours on the phone to argue away $56 in extra charges.

I used to drive Buffalo to Rochester 2x a day for work. Fun. But it is much better than driving Binghamton to Syracuse.

 

[upstater1]

NO ONE ELSE in the country goes NEAR Barfalo no matter what time of the year it is, Green Mongo Cow

Much as you guys don't want to believe it, the hotels are always full here with tourists. Hard to believe but true. I know why it happens. And a lot of it is Canadians but there are weird Americans in this world as well who want the things Buffalo has. Since I'm not from Buffalo I well know the image and reputation of Buffalo from the outside.