Lurker Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 Here's some info on the West Seneca site: http://www.deadmalls...eneca_mall.html I made a point to drive by the site tonight on my way home. IMO, it's just too small for a modern NFL pleasure palace, especially in terms of parking (it'd probably require ramps, rather than surface parking, adding millions to the price tag). Sort of a size 10 foot and a size 7 shoe. I then jogged over to Abbott Road and drove by the Ralph. It literally has twice the acreage of the West Seneca site. I can't see Andy Cuomo ponying up $$$ for another suburban white elephant, when putting something downtown would kill more than two birds with one stone...
Rico Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 I would feel more comfortable with Golisano if he came in and cleaned house. Russ and company need to go. Agreed, Russ anyways, clear all of Ralph's trash out & kill the curse once and for all. Highly unlikely that happens, so I am cool with giving Russ a transitional year to see if things can finally turn around. I'm not at all interested though in having another owner who isn't committed to winning & accepts failure/incompetence, just keeping the team in Buffalo isn't good enough for me.
zonabb Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 Auto-dependent, regional suburban land uses are not the future of the American city. As the younger generations migrate to the city (and hopefully stay there through their home buying and child-rearing years), gas prices steadily increase as demand in developing nations increases and supply is unable to keep up with demand, and businesses re-centralize, the suburbs will die off and more and more people will have to live in dense urban environments that are walkable and connected to their daily needs with public transportation. Those that believe in "freedom" and "personal choice" (the same who likely believe in endless cheap gas and call climate change a myth) can believe in the suburbs all you want but economics are the only think you can believe in and the future points back to the city. So building a monolith, single use, auto-dependent stadium off an exit in a crappy section of the town connected to nothing is asinine. Owning the property isn;t the one and only consideration for stadium location... or at least shouldn't be!
YoloinOhio Posted May 29, 2014 Author Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) Auto-dependent, regional suburban land uses are not the future of the American city. As the younger generations migrate to the city (and hopefully stay there through their home buying and child-rearing years), gas prices steadily increase as demand in developing nations increases and supply is unable to keep up with demand, and businesses re-centralize, the suburbs will die off and more and more people will have to live in dense urban environments that are walkable and connected to their daily needs with public transportation. Those that believe in "freedom" and "personal choice" (the same who likely believe in endless cheap gas and call climate change a myth) can believe in the suburbs all you want but economics are the only think you can believe in and the future points back to the city. So building a monolith, single use, auto-dependent stadium off an exit in a crappy section of the town connected to nothing is asinine. Owning the property isn;t the one and only consideration for stadium location... or at least shouldn't be! Maybe Buffalo is different, but that certainly is not the case in Columbus. There are various ages of people who live downtown, just as many empty nesters as recent college grads, but the suburban sprawl is real. Everything is built around the city, not in the city. Our hockey arena and AAA ballpark are there, but the main draw, OSU, is not. I agree downtown is a great idea. But just not sure that a suburban location is not an option as well. Edited May 29, 2014 by YoloinOhio
Doc Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 I can guarantee you that whoever the new owner is, Russ Brandon will be retained. As a CEO, which is where he'd stay and belongs, he's done a fantastic job. Whether Doug and Doug stick is anyone's guess, but likely that will depend on how this season goes.
In space no one can hear Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 I can guarantee you that whoever the new owner is, Russ Brandon will be retained. As a CEO, which is where he'd stay and belongs, he's done a fantastic job. Whether Doug and Doug stick is anyone's guess, but likely that will depend on how this season goes.
PromoTheRobot Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 Maybe you'd rather the team miss the playoffs for another 14 years?
DrDawkinstein Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 This Golisano/Congel stuff is getting pretty interesting. Dont want to get my hopes up, but they would be an ownership that could completely fund the new stadium themselves. Been saying we need a Lucas Oil-type for the new stadium. Ideally it would be downtown/on the water, but I wouldnt hate this location. Thoughts? http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/developers-700-million-plan-for-west-seneca-plaza-could-include-new-stadium-20140528
beerme1 Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) Maybe you'd rather the team miss the playoffs for another 14 years? You really are just a dumb, dim witted retard aren't you? If you haven't figured it our yet- check the Bills won loss record- or have someone read it to you- as I don't think you are even literate. The Bills have done nothing but lose under Brandon. It's complicated isn't it? Well for you anyway.... For the record, I can't stand Promo. I do like Russ and think he has the heart of Bills fans and Ralph in mind always. Don't blame him that he was put in roles he was not qualified for like GM. But give the man his due respect because he has done some FANTASTIC things for us Bills fans in the past and appears to be doing so again because he is in the right role within the organization. Cheers Russ. You are making a difference in my team! Thank you. Again for the record I don't like PromoTheRobot and find him tedious at best. But really, to call him a dumb, dim witted retard? Well I hope you get banned for that! See ya. PTR I don't agree with most of what you post but I do love diversity, discourse and disagreement. But their are boundries and WTF aren't we ALL Bills fans? Cheers man. (This time only) Lol Edit: The scar thing to me is Golisano would keep Littman, Overdorf and Berchtold and those three guys are the bad karma in the organization that need to be removed like a bad stain! Edited May 29, 2014 by beerme1
PromoTheRobot Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) For the record, I can't stand Promo. I do like Russ and think he has the heart of Bills fans and Ralph in mind always. Don't blame him that he was put in roles he was not qualified for like GM. But give the man his due respect because he has done some FANTASTIC things for us Bills fans in the past and appears to be doing so again because he is in the right role within the organization. Cheers Russ. You are making a difference in my team! Thank you. Again for the record I don't like PromoTheRobot and find him tedious at best. But really, to call him a dumb, dim witted retard? Well I hope you get banned for that! See ya. PTR I don't agree with most of what you post but I do love diversity, discourse and disagreement. But their are boundries and WTF aren't we ALL Bills fans? Cheers man. (This time only) Lol Edit: The scar thing to me is Golisano would keep Littman, Overdorf and Berchtold and those three guys are the bad karma in the organization that need to be removed like a bad stain! Thanks...I think. Edited May 29, 2014 by PromoTheRobot
beerme1 Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 Thanks...I think. All good man. In this instance anyways
26CornerBlitz Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 @markpoloncarz For the record, I met with Scott Congel today. He presented plans for a mixed use development which didnt include nor have room for stadium.
QCity Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 I don't mind that area, but I just don't think they have the room? http://www.19ideas.com/stadium?id=1399 It's 1/4 the size of the current parcel the Ralph sits on. Maybe if they buyout the neighboring strip mall?
inkman Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 @markpoloncarz For the record, I met with Scott Congel today. He presented plans for a mixed use development which didnt include nor have room for stadium.
ICanSleepWhenI'mDead Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) The Buffalo News article said the West Seneca site is owned by S & R Group - - here's what an ownership search of Erie County property records shows for West Seneca: http://www2.erie.gov/ecrpts/index.php?q=real-property-parcel-search Real Property Information Link Owner Name Property Loc. City/Town S-B-L Details S & R COMPANY OF 197 SLADE AVE West Seneca 134.17-1-1 Details S & R COMPANY OF 193 SLADE AVE West Seneca 134.17-1-2 Details S & R COMPANY OF 183 SLADE AVE West Seneca 134.17-1-3.1 Details S & R COMPANY OF 181 SLADE AVE West Seneca 134.17-1-5 Details S & R COMPANY OF WEST 325 ORCHARD PARK RD West Seneca 143.05-1-27.111/A Details S & R COMPANY OF WEST 119 SLADE AVE West Seneca 143.05-1-32.1 Details S & R COMPANY OF WEST 115 SLADE AVE West Seneca 143.05-1-33 Details S & R COMPANY OF WEST 325 ORCHARD PARK RD West Seneca 143.05-1-27.111 Details S & R COMPANY OF WEST 355 ORCHARD PARK RD West Seneca 143.05-1-27.12 Details S & R COMPANY OF WEST 139 SLADE AVE West Seneca 143.05-1-28 Details S & R COMPANY OF WEST 135 SLADE AVE West Seneca 143.05-1-29 Details S & R COMPANY OF WEST 123 SLADE AVE West Seneca 143.05-1-30.1 Details S & R COMPANY OF WEST SENECA 175 SLADE AVE West Seneca 134.17-1-6 Details S & R COMPANY OF WEST SENECA ORCHARD PARK RD West Seneca 134.17-1-13 Haven't tried to figure out if S & R Company owns any land adjacent to the "Shops" site, or the total acreage it owns, or if all of the above parcels are contiguous. The general area: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.8317451,-78.7847569,1246m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en Edited May 29, 2014 by ICanSleepWhenI'mDead
Wayne Cubed Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 @markpoloncarz For the record, I met with Scott Congel today. He presented plans for a mixed use development which didnt include nor have room for stadium. Congel has said he would go ahead with this development with or without the Bills stadium. But if a Bills stadium was to be included, that would be phase 2 and he's hoping would be like Lucas Oil Field. I'm sure he wouldn't want to reveal anything about Bills ownership and Golisano's intentions at a preliminary meeting. Anyways, this article in the BN explains it better. http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/developers-700-million-plan-for-west-seneca-plaza-could-include-new-stadium-20140528
Mr. WEO Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 This Golisano/Congel stuff is getting pretty interesting. Dont want to get my hopes up, but they would be an ownership that could completely fund the new stadium themselves. Been saying we need a Lucas Oil-type for the new stadium. Ideally it would be downtown/on the water, but I wouldnt hate this location. Thoughts? http://www.buffalone...tadium-20140528 Congel is a deadbeat. He screwed Monroe County over huge tax breaks after he bought the Irondequoit mall and has let it sit there and rot for years. Form the D and C: "Congel, who promised hundreds of millions of dollars in redevelopment at the mall in exchange for the tax breaks, has so far failed to deliver. He's also failed to pay the town of Irondequoit $500,000 that was due in April 2009. And, on Monday he missed the deadline to remit $3.9 million he owes the town, school district and COMIDA for his regularly scheduled PILOT payment and a penalty he's facing for missing a construction deadline." Then, comically, Congel claims that "Demands for payment are "crippling our efforts to proceed with construction by requiring that we spend significant monies now to pay disputed claims," according to the company's statement." So, when he welshes on a deal he agreed to and the County tries to hold him to the deal, he claims the holding him to the deal part is preventing him from keeping his part of the deal. It amazed me when I read that Golisanop would seek to partner with this two bit player. It's a red flag that I think could hurt his bid with the other owners.
May Day 10 Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 I wonder if its design is kind of a good cop/bad cop thing. Golisano wont be able to keep a straight face negotiation/threatening the state/county. We all know his intentions are WNY.
Lurker Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 It amazed me when I read that Golisano would seek to partner with this two bit player. It's a red flag that I think could hurt his bid with the other owners. Even more disturbing to me is that Steve Pigeon has wormed his way into the discussion as a lobbyist. Pigeon's a turd who even makes Donald Trump look respectable. http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/developers-700-million-plan-for-west-seneca-plaza-could-include-new-stadium-20140528 "Pigeon and longtime business associate Gary R. Parenti also have just formed a lobbying firm that, according to Albany records, has been paid $116,000 by Congel's company to represent it before the Town of West Seneca." It reflects poorly on Golisano's judgement that he seems to repeatedly partner up with such snake oil salesmen as Pigeon and Congel (or even Larry Quinn, although I wouldn't put him in quite the same category as the other two).
jimmy10 Posted May 29, 2014 Posted May 29, 2014 Allow me to join the chorus of Rochesterians very concerned about the name "Congel" being anywhere within a country mile of the Bills.
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