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

[Boatdrinks]

3 hours ago, unbillievable said:

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

 

There will be. Won’t be 60k season tix available either. 

2 hours ago, red hots said:

 

Baylor's new stadium (2014) - Waco, TX - 45k seats, 42 suites - 266m

Bills Stadium - Orchard Park, NY - 60k seats, 60 suites - 1.4bn

 

😂

 

This is bordering on scandalous how much we are going to get shafted in every which way if this goes ahead as such. Brown envelopes at the ready.

That’s NY State  for ya

[klos63]

2027?  Are they planning on a workers strike during construction?  Took 2 1/2 years to build the Raiders new stadium in Vegas.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

5 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Corporate 

 

Josh Allen commented that he tried to get a suite for his family this year and couldn't.  So current and former players might account for a handful.

4 minutes ago, klos63 said:

2027?  Are they planning on a workers strike during construction?  Took 2 1/2 years to build the Raiders new stadium in Vegas.

 

They said "no later then", depending upon how quickly a deal is made.  But it may take longer to build in Buffalo because of weather?

Congrats to @john wawrowfor breaking this

[BigDingus]

For $1.4 billion, I'm shocked it won't have a roof (retractable or otherwise), more suites & only 60k seats. I know New York state is more expensive to do a lot of things and inflation exists but...

 

Considering the Colts got a domed stadium built downtown for half that price, Jerry World was built for the same price (with 300+ suites & up to 100k seats), Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was $1.58 billion (that's adjusted for inflation, with 180 suites & up to 80k seats), etc... what the heck are they doing with all that money?

 

My point isn't they need more seats or suites, as I'm sure the proposed amount works for the local economics & all, but unless those seats are full leather recliners with built in massagers & seat warmers, where is all that money going? All the above stadiums are domed, state of the art, have all the bells & whistles, and are massive, but the Bills want to spend nearly the same amount, if not more than others, on a new roofless stadium in Orchard Park still? 

 

Are they going to deck it out with a live Bison habitat instead of fish tanks like some MLB stadiums or something? Even Met-Life was $1.7 billion (closer to $2 billion now) to build in one of the most expensive areas but was being used by 2 franchises. I'm just confused on how it could possibly be so expensive for such a modest projection of a venue.

[Process]

4 minutes ago, BigDingus said:

For $1.4 billion, I'm shocked it won't have a roof (retractable or otherwise), more suites & only 60k seats. I know New York state is more expensive to do a lot of things and inflation exists but...

 

Considering the Colts got a domed stadium built downtown for half that price, Jerry World was built for the same price (with 300+ suites & up to 100k seats), Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was $1.58 billion (that's adjusted for inflation, with 180 suites & up to 80k seats), etc... what the heck are they doing with all that money?

 

My point isn't they need more seats or suites, as I'm sure the proposed amount works for the local economics & all, but unless those seats are full leather recliners with built in massagers & seat warmers, where is all that money going? All the above stadiums are domed, state of the art, have all the bells & whistles, and are massive, but the Bills want to spend nearly the same amount, if not more than others, on a new roofless stadium in Orchard Park still? 

 

Are they going to deck it out with a live Bison habitat instead of fish tanks like some MLB stadiums or something? Even Met-Life was $1.7 billion (closer to $2 billion now) to build in one of the most expensive areas but was being used by 2 franchises. I'm just confused on how it could possibly be so expensive for such a modest projection of a venue.

It's mind boggling. $1.4B for a small stadium in the middle of nowhere WNY. 

[BigDingus]

5 hours ago, unbillievable said:

 

New York is more expensive than Indiana?

 

Not a full $600 million more expensive, and with being in the suburbs instead of downtown...and being open-air instead of a dome... and being smaller...

If you were literally building Lucas Oil stadium in NY, I could see it getting closing that gap. But when you cut out so much, it doesn't add up.

[Patience]

Just now, BigDingus said:

 

Not a full $600 million more expensive, and with being in the suburbs instead of downtown...and being open-air instead of a dome... and being smaller...

If you were literally building Lucas Oil stadium in NY, I could see it getting closing that gap. But when you cut out so much, it doesn't add up.

 

I agree with this.  Now, just so no one jumps down my throat, I'll just say that I am not an expert.  But, at the outset, knowing what we do, which is likely pretty limited, it doesn't appear to make sense.  

[BigDingus]

5 hours ago, red hots said:

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. 

 

 

 

Don't forget, Metlife is being shared between 2 franchises, so the cost is split between them & the projected returns are increased to compensate for that.

[HalftimeAdjustment]

1 minute ago, BigDingus said:

For $1.4 billion, I'm shocked it won't have a roof (retractable or otherwise), more suites & only 60k seats. I know New York state is more expensive to do a lot of things and inflation exists but...

 

Considering the Colts got a domed stadium built downtown for half that price, Jerry World was built for the same price (with 300+ suites & up to 100k seats), Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was $1.58 billion (that's adjusted for inflation, with 180 suites & up to 80k seats), etc... what the heck are they doing with all that money?

 

My point isn't they need more seats or suites, as I'm sure the proposed amount works for the local economics & all, but unless those seats are full leather recliners with built in massagers & seat warmers, where is all that money going? All the above stadiums are domed, state of the art, have all the bells & whistles, and are massive, but the Bills want to spend nearly the same amount, if not more than others, on a new roofless stadium in Orchard Park still? 

 

Are they going to deck it out with a live Bison habitat instead of fish tanks like some MLB stadiums or something? Even Met-Life was $1.7 billion (closer to $2 billion now) to build in one of the most expensive areas but was being used by 2 franchises. I'm just confused on how it could possibly be so expensive for such a modest projection of a venue.

 

Well, if the taxpayers contribute any money then there should ideally be a mandatory public audit of the costs involved to ensure that money is well spent. 

 

Having said that, costs of doing business in WNY are clearly higher than those in Indiana, Georgia, or Texas. Both political and weather factors impact the cost. I don't see why that is not obvious. MetLife is probably a better comparison point. 

 

 

[Real McClappy]

4 hours ago, Huh? What? said:

If you do a Google search of"new Buffalo Bills Stadium renderings" and click on google images result you see a proposed drawing of a stadium that looks like what the AP said. The image was posted on redditt but it was removed from the thread at the request of someone. Shows a city setting.

 

This?

[MAJBobby]

42 minutes ago, BUFFALOBART said:

"Structural Report", or the media's "Stadium Report"???

If the Stadium was unsafe, no one would be allowed to attend games, right now.

NYS has nothing to do with it, but please, carry on.

Good thing you know 2024/25/26 are right now and there there are not a lot more freeze and thaw cycles I mean those are done forever 

[RiotAct]

17 minutes ago, HalftimeAdjustment said:

 

Well, if the taxpayers contribute any money then there should ideally be a mandatory public audit of the costs involved to ensure that money is well spent. 

that’s just crazy talk!

[HalftimeAdjustment]

11 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

that’s just crazy talk!

 

Sorry, I really meant an audit to ensure that legislators' friends got a sufficient percentage.

[Just Joshin']

5 hours ago, BuffaloRebound said:

60,000 is probably a negotiating tactic to get the government to pay more money if they want it bigger.  But 60,000 probably the right number.  

I wonder in 60k includes club seats?

[That's No Moon]

3 hours ago, Boatdrinks said:

Yes. It’s been a spartan stadium from its beginning. 

They ( Erie County)  should have done it years ago when they had the chance. They opted for a window dressing type “ renovation” and the market has changed dramatically in a short time. Sometimes the roll of the dice comes up snake eyes.

On the plus, borrowing money is as close to free as it has been basically ever.

2 hours ago, klos63 said:

2027?  Are they planning on a workers strike during construction?  Took 2 1/2 years to build the Raiders new stadium in Vegas.

You can build 12 months a year in Vegas. Buffalo is a little more challenging.

[MAJBobby]

1 hour ago, BUFFALOBART said:

Mmmm...just like every year, since 1973. (Yawn!)

Business taxes in NYS, are actually quite low. Personal Income taxes, are another story.  Put the final $tadium plan out for a bid, and it will go where it will..

Ahhh proved the point. So let me ask you will the County Dump money into a stadium that will be torn down?  If so there are some major issues in the county. 

[Just Jack]

8 hours ago, aristocrat said:

How many suites does the stadium have right now? 

 

56 on the 100 level

65 on the 200 level

 

[galept]

1 hour ago, Real McNasty said:

 

This?

 

I like the idea of covered stands like that. Traps sound in and keeps the decibels up.

[Just Jack]

Back around 2005, the smallest suite the Bills had, was about $12,000 for a season.  You still had to buy game tickets on top of that.  

[QCity]

I've always said the model for a stadium here should be the Seahawks' partially covered open-air stadium, although 60,000 seems a bit low to me.