AP exclusive: Bills propose new 60k seat stadium by (update - 2025)

[red hots]

1.4bn for an open air stadium with only 60k capacity in Orchard Park.

 

Someone tell me we aren't getting ripped off!? Lucas Oil Stadium with a 70k capacity in a Downtown location, attached to the Convention Center and a retractable roof cost 720m dollars - 858m with inflation in 2019.

 

This is WNY, not Manhattan. Surely the cost of getting a lot less for 542m more is nothing but madness? My brain is about to melt at how the maths are adding up.

 

Also, if they wanted to stay in the suburbs, Amherst was far more preferable with UB football as a potential additional tenant and a potential metro rail extension.

 

Saying it now, the whole deal is its being presented in these articles is *****. Reduced capacity, no value for the tax payer, no additional events, still the same outdoor stadium in the snow belt. I actually would rather stay in the Ralph as is than this. 

 

 

 

[unbillievable]

Wait until they reveal the PSL price... then we'll  be wondering if there are 60k fans willing to pay it.

 

[The Jokeman]

Just now, Paup 1995MVP said:

Wasn't Rich Stadium's capacity 80,300 or so back in the day?  We should be able to sell out 70,000 every week in the modern day.

Not necessarily the population in 1990 was 954,883 and today it's 886,477. 

[unbillievable]

2 minutes ago, red hots said:

1.4bn for an open air stadium with only 60k capacity in Orchard Park.

 

Someone tell me we aren't getting ripped off!? Lucas Oil Stadium with a 70k capacity in a Downtown location, attached to the Convention Center and a retractable roof cost 720m dollars - 858m with inflation in 2019.

 

This is WNY, not Manhattan. Surely the cost of getting a lot less for 542m more is nothing but madness? My brain is about to melt at how the maths are adding up.

 

Also, if they wanted to stay in the suburbs, Amherst was far more preferable with UB football as a potential additional tenant and a potential metro rail extension.

 

Saying it now, the whole deal is its being presented in these articles is *****. Reduced capacity, no value for the tax payer, no additional events, still the same outdoor stadium in the snow belt. I actually would rather stay in the Ralph as is than this.

 

New York is more expensive than Indiana?

[MAJBobby]

7 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

Seems they will add a few years to the current lease.  The lease dollars could help maybe with some of the public financing.  Maybe?

I thought about that, but after releasing the Safety report (specifically on the upper deck) would that be feasible?

[GunnerBill]

Once they make a decision I need to book to come over to a game at the Ralph before they knock it down. I gotta come at least once before we move into whatever modern state of the art thing they build. 

[red hots]

3 minutes ago, unbillievable said:

 

New York is more expensive than Indiana?

That was what I'm thinking is somehow the answer despite the much different cost of doing business and living in Upstate v NYC.

 

It stinks to me.

Edited August 31, 2021 by red hots

[Monty98]

1 minute ago, The Jokeman said:

Not necessarily the population in 1990 was 954,883 and today it's 886,477. 

Not just Buffalo's population to take into account, market area north of the border is expanding.

 

This is most likely the first legit proposal that has been leaked to the public. Looking to gather support/see where fans/sponsors sit on certain issues and what the state is willing to concede to get them more of what they want

[HOUSE]

No need to rush the project, 6 years is reasonable 😬

[MAJBobby]

7 minutes ago, red hots said:

1.4bn for an open air stadium with only 60k capacity in Orchard Park.

 

Someone tell me we aren't getting ripped off!? Lucas Oil Stadium with a 70k capacity in a Downtown location, attached to the Convention Center and a retractable roof cost 720m dollars - 858m with inflation in 2019.

 

This is WNY, not Manhattan. Surely the cost of getting a lot less for 542m more is nothing but madness? My brain is about to melt at how the maths are adding up.

 

Also, if they wanted to stay in the suburbs, Amherst was far more preferable with UB football as a potential additional tenant and a potential metro rail extension.

 

Saying it now, the whole deal is its being presented in these articles is *****. Reduced capacity, no value for the tax payer, no additional events, still the same outdoor stadium in the snow belt. I actually would rather stay in the Ralph as is than this. 

 

 

 

Actually it is 67K.  And it was a retrofit on a building as well, this would be a new build 

 

As in falling apart?

Edited August 31, 2021 by MAJBobby

[scuba guy]

39 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

At 1st, I thought this was an artists rendition of the new stadium, but not one seat here is alee from the elements.

It is the current stadium 

 

I thought the same thing had to open the picture up to see

[ColoradoBills]

2 minutes ago, unbillievable said:

Wait until they reveal the PSL price... then we'll  be wondering if there are 60k fans willing to pay it.

 

 

The "average" cost of a seat in Buffalo is $74.  It will probably almost double and then add PSLs.

It will price out a large group of lower income fans and that is just the way it is everywhere else in the NFL.

 

Rabid fans will still attend but it will affect casual attendees.  Currently a lot of away team fans come to Buffalo because it's so cheap.

[The Jokeman]

3 minutes ago, Monty98 said:

Not just Buffalo's population to take into account, market area north of the border is expanding.

 

This is most likely the first legit proposal that has been leaked to the public. Looking to gather support/see where fans/sponsors sit on certain issues and what the state is willing to concede to get them more of what they want

You're probably right but honestly I hate the idea of a stadium in Orchard Park and even moreso when it's not domed.  I feel a downtown multi purpose venue would better serve the community.

Edited August 31, 2021 by The Jokeman

[MAJBobby]

1 minute ago, The Jokeman said:

You're probably right but honestly I hate the idea of a stadium in Orchard Park and even moreso when it's not doomed.  I feel a downtown multi purpose venue would better serve the community.

And that Cost is 1.9B without the infrastructure requirements.

 

So 1.4B in Orchard Park - Lesser impact on Public Money

 

1.9B plus in Downtown - Increased impact on Public money 

Edited August 31, 2021 by MAJBobby

[Doc Brown]

Just put some kind of roof over it and 60k is fine.  Of course they won't because they're idiots.

[The Jokeman]

Just now, MAJBobby said:

And that Cost is 1.9B without the infrastructure requirements.

 

So 1.4B in Orchard Park

 

1.9B plus in Downtown

I get money is part of it but damn sakes why build another stadium out in OP and only use it for football? I mean we're making the same mistakes we made when built Rich Stadium  Instead build something that could serve the city as a stadium, maybe bring some shopping to downtown or act as a replacement for the convention center etc. 

[red hots]

Metlife Stadium - 82k seats, 230 suites (1.6bn value 2010, 1.9bn value 2020)

New Bills stadium - 60k seats, 60 suites (1.4bn value 2021)

 

Metlife is also quite a bit closer to Manhattan than the proposed stadium is to DT Buffalo. 

 

 

[ColoradoBills]

6 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

I thought about that, but after releasing the Safety report (specifically on the upper deck) would that be feasible?

 

You know it's something to consider but I think it will be fine.  I know a lot of people have been on the Pegula's about a lot of this but they

were told they needed a new stadium by the NFL when they bought the Bills.  They dragged their feet as long as they could which I think

was a good thing.  I'm fairly confident the Highmark will be fine until the new one is built.

 

I would venture a guess the "safety" report was more of a "need to build a new one soon" more than an imminent concern. 

[unbillievable]

Put a dome with wind flaps that can control the weather conditions inside.

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, The Jokeman said:

I get money is part of it but damn sakes why build another stadium out in OP and only use it for football? I mean we're making the same mistakes we made when built Rich Stadium  Instead build something that could serve the city as a stadium, maybe bring some shopping to downtown or act as a replacement for the convention center etc. 

 

It's a very disappointing, short-sighted, small town, bush league plan. Agreed.

 

As the only team that actually plays in NYS, and the fact that there is no way the politicians will let the Bills leave, the Pegulas should press the state much harder to pony up what is needed to get an awesome new stadium downtown, a bunch of new surrounding bars/restaurants/commercial space, and the added infrastructure to support it (expand 190, add ramps, add rail from airport to downtown).

 

I dont care if they say it will cost $3B. NYC is good for it. Make it happen.