Doc Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I didn't realize this till just now, but Minnesota's new stadium is not a retractable roof it is a fixed roof put another way it's a building. The cool thing they have designed it with lots of natural light by using glass for the roof and windows. I did read that certain windows open on the sides for a view of the City. Now where did you hear that?
SoulMan Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 A Retractable Roof facility is what we need, in the Downtown, that can utilize existing infrastructure, Metrorail, bus, Amtrak, hotels etc. Imagine no parking hassles, because the metro drops off right in the new Stadium. This project will likely involve the removal of some buildings, or houses, adding or rerouting a road, making existing parking lots two stories instead of 1 to handle extra cars. Having this kind of facility will allow for the possibility of getting other large events like 1. NCAA Bowl games and playoffs. 2. NCAA Basketball Final Four. 3. NCAA Wrestling Championship 4. Democratic National Convention 5. Super Bowl if they keep buildings hotels in the Buffalo Area. 6. The NFL Combine. 7. Neutral site games for NCAA football teams. If they make it a first class venue, then, you'll attract first class events, even with the cold weather. Concur
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I would be fine with a dome if...and only if...it was engineered to trap and maximize sounds. Some domes are like acoustic vacuums. What fun is that? Just like Seattle. They can fill the stadium with a bunch of fair weather fans who make 1/10th the sound of a normal stadium and can cause an earthquake due to accoustics.
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) Simply, you're wrong. Many people won't even consider a game in November or December now. With a dome they WILL go Really? Then explain for instance why the playoff Houston "comeback" game was not a sell-out? The WEATHER I'll go back to the first person who prodded me about my comments .... Prove it. the economy is more of a reason for poor December attendance than weather. If you use "The WEATHER" as an excuse for not going then you are either too old or too feeble to handle cold temps. OR you don't have the extra cash. how many sold out games were there in the 90's when the Bills went to 4 straight SB's and the temps were below freezing and sometimes w/a negative temp windchill? http://www.buffalobi...5d-2490123ae81d that's like when people say its too cold to go skiing http://www.pro-footb...99301030buf.htm The Comeback Weather 34 degrees, relative humidity 69%, wind 14 mph, wind chill 24 Edited May 22, 2014 by BillsFan-4-Ever
May Day 10 Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I have season tickets and once the Bills are eliminated, realistically, there is little to no reason to eat a whole Sunday with crap. I eat the tickets. Weather plays a small part in the decision, but if its a meaningful game, Id go in a blizzard. The Houston comeback game is such a laughable comparison with present day. They had 1 week to sell tickets, no internet, injuries and against a team that smoked them, larger capacity, no regionalization into Rochester or Southern Ontario yet. it wasnt the weather. A dome may be necessary though to justify the funding and effort, unfortunately, as pointed out. I think they are going to have to imagine uses beyond the 10-12 NFL games a year.
Beerball Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 A dome may be necessary though to justify the funding and effort, unfortunately, as pointed out. I think they are going to have to imagine uses beyond the 10-12 NFL games a year. The new stadium must be multiple use. It will undoubtedly add to the initial costs but it will help pay for itself.
bladiebla Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 Just like Seattle. They can fill the stadium with a bunch of fair weather fans who make 1/10th the sound of a normal stadium and can cause an earthquake due to accoustics. That is up to the current attending fanbase, if they all take their season tickets then the stadium will be crazy loud to the point where it will scare off some casuals (again with the Amsterdam Admirals example, but the organization there had a big issue due to the noise we produced as it was driving the casuals out of the stadium; they actually added a noise free section in the quietest part of the stadium to cater for those people. Then again with the Admirals you HAD to wear earplugs otherwise you'd have ringing ears for a couple of days). The key with the more casual fans that do come to the visit is that often they are just as passionate about the team but are a bit more relucatant to make themselves heard, if everybody is making noise they'll follow suit. The great thing about attending American Football games is that fans can actually influence the game if they trully get behind disrupting the other team it's huddle. If done right the fans are indeed the 12th man on the field.
Beerball Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 That is up to the current attending fanbase, Not really. Jerrah's new stadium swallows noise, Seahawks stadium enhances noise.
ALF Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I'am all for a dome . Players will want to stay here for ideal conditions . Fans from the opposing team will travel here , comfort in bad weather .
CountDorkula Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I'am all for a dome . Players will want to stay here for ideal conditions . Fans from the opposing team will travel here , comfort in bad weather . But, but, but then you get called a wussy, because you would rather be comfortable and not frezzing sitting in a 25 degree sleet storm...
LabattBlue Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 My 2 cents... 1 - It is a myth that the Bills have a "cold weather" advantage. It's not true today, it was not true in the SB years, nor the years before that. 2 - Does it make for a more sterile environment? Maybe, but the bottom line from an ownership point of view is filling seats, not making sure the people that do show up are all prepared to scream from start to finish. I seem to remember the King Dome being renowned for being unbelievably loud. 3 - I'd prefer a retractable roof stadium, but it it is a fixed roof, that is a 1000x better than what we have today. IMO the biggest problem isn't the snow and the cold, it is the rainy days with temps between 30-50 that can occur from October on. 4 Multi-purpose stadium? I'd built it with the guarantee that there will be 10 Bills games a year. Nothing more, nothing less. Anything "substantial" beyond that is pie in the sky. Final Four, BCS Games, and other mega events don't just fall in your lap when a dome is built. It isn't going to be a convention center/stadium like Lucas Oil Stadium, so what other events are going to be held there? The days of huge stadium concerts seem to be over(when was the last time one was held at RWS), so what does that leave? The hotel room total will never be sufficient to attract the major events, and new hotels aren't going to be built that will have low occupancy for 95 percent of the year. I have never owned season tickets, but the day an indoor facility is announced, my season ticket deposit will go in the mail.
stony Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 Simply, you're wrong. Many people won't even consider a game in November or December now. With a dome they WILL go Really? Then explain for instance why the playoff Houston "comeback" game was not a sell-out? The WEATHER That day was actually a nice day for January in WNY. Don't think weather had much to do with it. I honestly think after three straight years to the Super Bowl, that team wasn't counted onto win that game, and subsequently, many stayed home. The Oilers just blew us out, Jimbo was hurt, Thurman was hurt, Biscuit was hurt. Many probably didn't want to see the team lose.
Doc Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 My 2 cents... 1 - It is a myth that the Bills have a "cold weather" advantage. It's not true today, it was not true in the SB years, nor the years before that. 2 - Does it make for a more sterile environment? Maybe, but the bottom line from an ownership point of view is filling seats, not making sure the people that do show up are all prepared to scream from start to finish. I seem to remember the King Dome being renowned for being unbelievably loud. 3 - I'd prefer a retractable roof stadium, but it it is a fixed roof, that is a 1000x better than what we have today. IMO the biggest problem isn't the snow and the cold, it is the rainy days with temps between 30-50 that can occur from October on. 4 Multi-purpose stadium? I'd built it with the guarantee that there will be 10 Bills games a year. Nothing more, nothing less. Anything "substantial" beyond that is pie in the sky. Final Four, BCS Games, and other mega events don't just fall in your lap when a dome is built. It isn't going to be a convention center/stadium like Lucas Oil Stadium, so what other events are going to be held there? The days of huge stadium concerts seem to be over(when was the last time one was held at RWS), so what does that leave? The hotel room total will never be sufficient to attract the major events, and new hotels aren't going to be built that will have low occupancy for 95 percent of the year. I have never owned season tickets, but the day an indoor facility is announced, my season ticket deposit will go in the mail. Why do you think that?
jimmy10 Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 Interesting viewpoint when two NFL teams in the North that have long played in domes (Seattle & Minnesota) have switched (C-Hawks) or are about to switch (Vikes) to open air stadiums. Yeah, but Seattle doesn't count as a winter weather city. The Pacific NW is relatively warm in the winter.
CountDorkula Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 Yeah, but Seattle doesn't count as a winter weather city. The Pacific NW is relatively warm in the winter. Also Minnesotas stadium is not open air. It has doors that can open, but will be an enclosed stadium.
WotAGuy Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I'd prefer a stadium with covered seating areas (maybe not all, but at least half under cover) and otherwise be open air. I kind of enjoy snow games, but rain games are a B word.
RuntheDamnBall Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 The home field advantage argument is NOT CRAP, it is a DECISIVE advantage and when we had a good team we were able to capitalize on it. However, 26Corner had an excellent idea about a retractable dome, which I think would kill two birds with one stone. We could attract a super bowl perhaps because we could overcome the crappy weather, and leave it open at our leisure (like when a dome team comes to town, or close it if our qb gets hurt and we need favorable conditions for our backup.) I say take all the land the Ralph is on and make it into hotels, of which the lack thereof is a huge detractor to ever holding a super bowl here. Then devise a public transit infrastructure setup to the new retractable dome AND downtown (First Niagara Center). We have that setup already downtown, it is very convenient for out of towners to get to Sabres games from the hotel. That would make us 150% more attractive to both the league, AND free agents who would appreciate the big investment. Now, while we are all debating this stuff, can we PLEASE HAVE A WINNING SEASON? Home field advantage isn't weather-specific unless you build your team around it. If this were a straight-up power running team I might agree with you. Home field advantage is about having loud fans that fill the stadium.
PromoTheRobot Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 Why do you think that? He tends to be a crumudgeon. The fact is Buffalo already hosts NCAA regionals and hosted the Frozen Four once. It's not that far fetched to end up with a Final Four. I don't know what the required number of hotel rooms is but Buffalo is adding new hotels at a far clip lately so we must be getting closer. And as the Canalside/Cobblstone areas continue to develop you have an area built for visitors emerging. Super Bowl? Unlikely, for sure, but not impossible. Definitely other events like a bowl game, NCAA regionals, etc.
LabattBlue Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 Why do you think that? Why do I think that a convention center won't be part of it, or why mega events won't be begging to come to Buffalo if a new indoor stadium is built? Convention Center would only be part of it, if new stadium is downtown, and on top of that the added cost combined with the lack of current events for the existing convention center makes it probably a no go. Mega events? How many BCS Bowl games are currently played in the Northeast/MidWest? You think they are going to turn their cheek on New Orleans, Miami, Phoenix, Pasadena, etc...? As far as basketball goes, Buffalo can't even get the regional finals of March Madness despite having a proven track record hosting the first and second round of games four or five times now. Final Four? Pipedream. Same reason there will never be a SB here. Not enough hotels. What does that leave? He tends to be a crumudgeon. The fact is Buffalo already hosts NCAA regionals and hosted the Frozen Four once. It's not that far fetched to end up with a Final Four. I don't know what the required number of hotel rooms is but Buffalo is adding new hotels at a far clip lately so we must be getting closer. And as the Canalside/Cobblstone areas continue to develop you have an area built for visitors emerging. Super Bowl? Unlikely, for sure, but not impossible. Definitely other events like a bowl game, NCAA regionals, etc. Just being realistic, but I guess that makes me a curmudgeon? :huh: As I just stated, despite having a proven track record in March Madness over the last 10 years, they can't sniff the Sweet 16, but the Final Four is not that far fetched?
May Day 10 Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) He tends to be a crumudgeon. The fact is Buffalo already hosts NCAA regionals and hosted the Frozen Four once. It's not that far fetched to end up with a Final Four. I don't know what the required number of hotel rooms is but Buffalo is adding new hotels at a far clip lately so we must be getting closer. And as the Canalside/Cobblstone areas continue to develop you have an area built for visitors emerging. Super Bowl? Unlikely, for sure, but not impossible. Definitely other events like a bowl game, NCAA regionals, etc. I would think the WJC required many rooms. More have been built/are on the way. Anyways, I believe a Final Four is not an impossibility. Hosting a yearly Bowl Game and/or hosting the MAC Championship (switching with Detroit) is not out of the realm of possibility. Buffalo will have to continue the turnaround, it seems like we will have Hafbrauhausen or whatever and various microbreweries and restaurants, attractions, etc that would make a Superbowl in the 2020s strong a possibility IMO if the stadium is downtown. I would also say Wrestlemania could possibly be an event. WM, FF, and SB would all be once in a lifetime though. The Sabres could also play semi annually or so in the stadium, especially if Pegula is involved in the Bills ownership. If UB is linked, they could potentially hop conferences and play games there. As pointed out though, NCAA football in a pro town have a tough go. Im sure if they could garner the support, some better conferences would love the Buffalo market and facility. I prefer outdoor for the Bills. I like the variability and the fact that the weather is an element that gives different games character and properties. If a roof gets it done though, we gotta support that Edited May 22, 2014 by May Day 10
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