WGR reports 10 year lease

[purple haze]

This lease is a good development. Only a miserable individual would find a reason to complain.

Edited December 21, 2012 by purple haze

[Hammered a Lot]

I'm intrigued by the the creation of a west end plaza and concession improvements. The Bills could move the gates outward and build a ring of new concessions and bathrooms along the perimeter of the stadium. It will be a longer walk from your seat but considering the sardine-can-crush you get now it would be well worth it. I would also suggest the Bills lease space to existing WNY restaurants to set up shop inside the stadium. Might Taco, Schwabl's, Bocce Club, Anchor Bar, Pearl St Brewery, etc. Create a scaled down Patriot Place-style plaza where people would have the option of tailgating inside the stadium at a restaurant.

 

PTR

 

I think your right about the plaza. I heard something about that 2 months ago.Getting people out of the lots quicker and into the $tadium

[Dragonborn10]

I must admit I was thinking the Bills were heading to LA in the next year or two. I thought RW would pass away very soon. But as others have posted. I can't see the NFL waiting seven more years to get a team to LA if they really want one there. My guess is they expand and add a team to LA and maybe Oklahoma City or London in the future. San Diego moving to LA doesn't help Buffalo 7 years from now.

I have some hope now that this lease chases away a few billionaires that want the Bills only to move them somewhere else. If RW lives another five years then it gets worrisome again. But if he passes away soon and 90+ year olds don't live long after broken hips then the chance an owner committed to Buffalo will emerge.

And Jim Kelly will have nothing to do with it...

[jimmy10]

My thought: Seven years seems like a pretty arbitrary timeline for the penalty to just fall off a cliff. Maybe it's known or assumed that around that timeframe, the ownership question will be settled and a new question raised: A new stadium. Then, the cheaper opt-out will make it easier for the Bills to skip out of the Ralph for new confines, and also maybe make for leverage with the county when it's decided whether or not to even build the new stadium in Erie County.

[Bangarang]

This lease doesn't mean the Bills can simply move after year 7. They would still have to pay $28 million plus the $250 million fee from the NFL.

 

This is great news and people still being doom and gloom is just sad.

[Maddog69]

Russ Brandon, the CEO of the Bills said during the press conference that the Bills will be here beyond this lease. I forget his exact phrasing but he used the word 'guarantee'. What does everything think of that statement? Do you think he is telling the truth? Is he a liar or did he just get caught up in the excitement of the day?

[Big Gun]

Haven't read through the whole thread and haven't heard the minute details, but chances are RW won't be with us til the end of the lease. Is their an out clause when RW passes? Or is it in cement, regardless of what happens to RW the Bills stay?

[Maddog69]

Haven't read through the whole thread and haven't heard the minute details, but chances are RW won't be with us til the end of the lease. Is their an out clause when RW passes? Or is it in cement, regardless of what happens to RW the Bills stay?

as far as I know, no mention was made about any out clause regarding Ralph's status or change in ownership. The only out is at the end of year 7, the Bills have a one-time option to buy out the final 3 yrs of the deal for around $28m. At any other time, they would need to pay the $400m buy out to get out of the lease.

[Big Gun]

as far as I know, no mention was made about any out clause regarding Ralph's status or change in ownership. The only out is at the end of year 7, the Bills have a one-time option to buy out the final 3 yrs of the deal for around $28m. At any other time, they would need to pay the $400m buy out to get out of the lease.

 

Well that is good news. The presence of the Bills really help a lot of small business in the area. Without the Bills a rough economy would get worse in this area.

[Nitro]

WGR on air "personality" Bulldog and friends (Jerry Sullivan) are dumping all over this after the station is touting the lease as a good deal. Buffalo has an image problem and Bulldog and crew don't help. If the Bills leave life will go on but the size and influence of Buffalo will shrink. Upstate NY will be an afgter thought. Indianapolis was once known as Indian-no place...prior to the Colts. Colts coupled with a DOWNTOWN stadium/convention center complex has changed this. Business leaders, politicians (both parties) and ownership partnered to build a new stadium and landed a SUper Bowl bringing millions in tax dollars to the region. I wish the powers that be in Buffalo realize that the lease is short term and a new stadium is needed in the long term.

[TSNBDSC]

... the Bills are not going anywhere ...

[TheBrownBear]

Awesome! Guarantees us the opportunity to watch them extend the playoff-less streak to 19 years!

[BRAWNDO]

Russ Brandon, the CEO of the Bills said during the press conference that the Bills will be here beyond this lease. I forget his exact phrasing but he used the word 'guarantee'. What does everything think of that statement? Do you think he is telling the truth? Is he a liar or did he just get caught up in the excitement of the day?

WGR on air "personality" Bulldog and friends (Jerry Sullivan) are dumping all over this after the station is touting the lease as a good deal. Buffalo has an image problem and Bulldog and crew don't help. If the Bills leave life will go on but the size and influence of Buffalo will shrink. Upstate NY will be an afgter thought. Indianapolis was once known as Indian-no place...prior to the Colts. Colts coupled with a DOWNTOWN stadium/convention center complex has changed this. Business leaders, politicians (both parties) and ownership partnered to build a new stadium and landed a SUper Bowl bringing millions in tax dollars to the region. I wish the powers that be in Buffalo realize that the lease is short term and a new stadium is needed in the long term.

 

I think the lays the groundwork for the building of a new stadium. I listened to the County Executive on WGR and he made it sound like he would prefer a Downtown Buffalo Stadium with a dome, so it can be used for more events. A combination of a new stadium and a convention center complex makes the most sense. Coupled with the fact that Russ Brandon mentioned the Bills, Erie County and New York State will take a all hands on deck approach to possibly getting a new stadium built should be attractive to any new potential owner of the Bills.

[May Day 10]

Any details on the architectural improvements they plan? Timelines?

 

 

 

Several people have cited the NFL relocation fee. Some see it as a deterrent. Some call it pocket change.

 

By the way, for the "Ralph is cheap" crowd, this deal devalues the Bills by about $200 million. True, Forbes has the value of the Bills pegged around $800 million. But on the open market, with no restrictions on movement, the team was easily worth over $1 billion. Now any buyer is locked into stinky 'ol Buffalo for 7 years minimum, unless they want to pay the $400 M + the NFL fees. That brings the nut close to $2 billion total. That's real money, even in L.A.

 

PTR

Any details on the architectural improvements they plan? Timelines?

 

 

 

Several people have cited the NFL relocation fee. Some see it as a deterrent. Some call it pocket change.

 

By the way, for the "Ralph is cheap" crowd, this deal devalues the Bills by about $200 million. True, Forbes has the value of the Bills pegged around $800 million. But on the open market, with no restrictions on movement, the team was easily worth over $1 billion. Now any buyer is locked into stinky 'ol Buffalo for 7 years minimum, unless they want to pay the $400 M + the NFL fees. That brings the nut close to $2 billion total. That's real money, even in L.A.

 

PTR

 

It takes a big dent out of the "highest bidder" and Ralph wants to max out when cashing his chips theory (which I was a part of).

This deal seems 100x better than anything I thought the public could get out of the Bills. I didnt even think they were in this ballpark.

 

I was wrong. Very happy to be wrong.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Great news!!!

 

There are no guarantees in life other than that we will all die someday.

 

But this lease is surprisingly restrictive to the Bills, and gives the deal makers more time to plot out the longer term plan to keep the Bills in Western New York.

 

IMO, this greatly increases the likelihood of the Bills staying put, even beyond the term of this lease.

[Best Player Available]

I'm intrigued by the the creation of a west end plaza and concession improvements. The Bills could move the gates outward and build a ring of new concessions and bathrooms along the perimeter of the stadium. It will be a longer walk from your seat but considering the sardine-can-crush you get now it would be well worth it. I would also suggest the Bills lease space to existing WNY restaurants to set up shop inside the stadium. Might Taco, Schwabl's, Bocce Club, Anchor Bar, Pearl St Brewery, etc. Create a scaled down Patriot Place-style plaza where people would have the option of tailgating inside the stadium at a restaurant.

 

PTR

A few comments on your restaurant choices. First, and arguably of course. The Anchor Bar is better for touristo's than anyone from Buffalo in terms of wings. Typically my last choice when I'm in town, again IMO. Bocces? We all know there are probably a hundred+ better Ma and Pa pizzeras in WNY But probably the PC choice. My big problem with all of these new restaurants on "Bills Row" is why the glaring omission of John and Mary's and Lunettas Subs on your list? Come on Man people aren't all coming to eat wings and, pizza, and tacos. Subs are easily as important on any list. I will wait for a amended choice of new concession restaurants in the stadium wall elegantly refurbished Ralph were all waiting for.

[8-8 Forever?]

This makes me feel better about the Bills' future than I have for about 5 years

yeah, $400m to break the lease is a good size number.. so a buyer needs to build a stadium, buy the team, pay the $400m and the relo fee to the league.. Bills are getting expensive... of course in L.A. the people are building the stadium, so that burden is gone, still need to win the auction and pay the fees.. big number in any event... should be interesting when Ralph passes....

[San Jose Bills Fan]

A few comments on your restaurant choices. First, and arguably of course. The Anchor Bar is better for touristo's than anyone from Buffalo in terms of wings. Typically my last choice when I'm in town, again IMO. Bocces? We all know there are probably a hundred+ better Ma and Pa pizzeras in WNY But probably the PC choice. My big problem with all of these new restaurants on "Bills Row" is why the glaring omission of John and Mary's and Lunettas Subs on your list? Come on Man people aren't all coming to eat wings and, pizza, and tacos. Subs are easily as important on any list. I will wait for a amended choice of new concession restaurants in the stadium wall elegantly refurbished Ralph were all waiting for.

 

A sub place?

 

Jim's Steakout for me.

[PromoTheRobot]

@BPA & SJBF...The restaurants I mentioned are just examples. My idea was to offer a "taste of WNY". I'm sure there are better wing, pizza and taco places but the ones I mentioned are iconic. And they are the ones most likely to afford whatever the Bills would charge for such space. (They're certainly not giving it free.)

 

PTR

[OvrOfficiousJerk]

Spent the good balance of the day trying to find a modicum of truth to that whole "world's gonna end" hooey. Then I queued up tBN's Bucky/Sully show and heard Jerry be genuinely impressed and not depressingly sarcastic over something (specifically, the buyout fee Poloncarz negotiated).

 

By golly the Mayas were right.