report- Empire State Development downtown stadium proposal

[BillStime]

2 hours ago, Dont Stop Billeiving said:

 

Yeah what's not to like here? Closer to downtown which has its advantages but has way more available land/parking than true downtown sites, meaning that the cost would surely be lower and all of the tailgating people love could still happen. As a bonus, it would help to revitalize the Central Terminal which is a really cool landmark and inject some life into that neighborhood. 

 

I think this might be my favorite idea yet and hope it at least gets considered. 

 

I agree with everything you wrote - Central Terminal > OP.  However, when I think of a downtown stadium (and the incredible game day experiences I have had in Nashville, Seattle, Indy, Baltimore and Pittsburgh, etc.) - I'd prefer it be closer to amenities and hotels.

 

Central Terminal is 3 miles from Canal Side. Perry Projects (assuming that is where the City/State is eyeing) is .7 miles away.

 

Terry's investment is in Canal Side; not CT.

 

 

 

[BillStime]

Roger Goodell says NFL wants Bills 'secure in WNY for generations'

 

Quote

 

The NFL does not have a preference about the location of a new stadium, Goodell said.

 

“I don’t know if the league has a preference,” Goodell said. “My understanding of it is there’s a pretty strong recognition that the current location, or in that area, is the right location. But a lot of that, with my experience with this all over the country, because I’ve been involved in many of them, is that those are decisions that should be made locally, that they should be considered as what the cost of different projects would be, how they’re going to fund those projects, collectively, in a private-public partnership, and also more important, what’s best for that community.

 

“Because ultimately, we look for solutions that are good for the community, as well as the NFL. And that’s what the great public/private partnerships achieve.”

 

 

It's going in OP...

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Einstein said:

 

Why are the cities coffers more important than the counties?

 

More importantly, people do not stay where the Bills play. There is little lodging near the stadium. Many stay downtown, or elsewhere. And they still must eat.

 

Dollars are spent regardless of where the Bills physically move a pigskin about for 60 minutes.

 

.

So why make them drive to OP when they are staying downtown?

49 minutes ago, BillStime said:

 

I agree with everything you wrote - Central Terminal > OP.  However, when I think of a downtown stadium (and the incredible game day experiences I have had in Nashville, Seattle, Indy, Baltimore and Pittsburgh, etc.) - I'd prefer it be closer to amenities and hotels.

 

Central Terminal is 3 miles from Canal Side. Perry Projects (assuming that is where the City/State is eyeing) is .7 miles away.

 

Terry's investment is in Canal Side; not CT.

 

 

 

How about parking tailgating fans at Central Terminal and shuttling them downtown by train?

[Einstein]

13 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

So why make them drive to OP when they are staying downtown?

 

Cost, tailgating, infrastructure, parking, etc

[PromoTheRobot]

9 hours ago, Einstein said:

 

Cost, tailgating, infrastructure, parking, etc

Ever hear the expression "Penny wise and pound foolish?" That applies here.

[Doc]

10 hours ago, BillStime said:

Roger Goodell says NFL wants Bills 'secure in WNY for generations'

 

 

It's going in OP...

 

I thought so initially.  With the state seemingly wanting to get involved, I'm not so sure anymore.

[SoCal Deek]

Having grown up in WNY but now living in California, I never thought I’d read so much chatter about the need to locate the Bills stadium near hotels. I’d be very interested to see a study of just how many additional hotel rooms are booked on home weekends. Is it really that many? 

[May Day 10]

Im just really hoping that the final product/design goes well above that 60,000 capacity amount.  Id like to see between 65K and 75K

[billsfanmiamioh]

I love how the downtown stadium crowd always dismisses the additional cost and logistics of infrastructure upgrades as something that’s just so easy to overcome. It’s THE reason why a new stadium will be in Orchard Park (unless the state kicks in a boatload of dollars which I doubt). 
 

11 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Having grown up in WNY but now living in California, I never thought I’d read so much chatter about the need to locate the Bills stadium near hotels. I’d be very interested to see a study of just how many additional hotel rooms are booked on home weekends. Is it really that many? 

 

Theres definitely a significant bump but it’s not like you can’t get a room. I recently changed my hotel from one in Hamburg to the Residence Inn downtown for this weeks game and there was still availability at other downtown hotels for the weekend. 

4 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

Im just really hoping that the final product/design goes well above that 60,000 capacity amount.  Id like to see between 65K and 75K

We don’t need more than 65. Check the secondary market ticket prices for the remaining games. And this is for one of the best teams in the league with a “rabid” fan base. 

[BillStime]

19 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

I thought so initially.  With the state seemingly wanting to get involved, I'm not so sure anymore.

 

I hope you're right. You just don't spend a billion plus dollars in Orchard Park with zero amenities and limited transportation options.

[Doc]

26 minutes ago, billsfanmiamioh said:

I love how the downtown stadium crowd always dismisses the additional cost and logistics of infrastructure upgrades as something that’s just so easy to overcome. It’s THE reason why a new stadium will be in Orchard Park (unless the state kicks in a boatload of dollars which I doubt). 

 

I thought the same thing.  Then I heard Schumer say that federal funds could be used for infrastructure (whether true or not, the point is there's talk).  Then potentially having a combined UB stadium would allow for state funds to be used instead of spending double the amount on 2 separate stadiums.  

[Einstein]

2 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

Having grown up in WNY but now living in California, I never thought I’d read so much chatter about the need to locate the Bills stadium near hotels. I’d be very interested to see a study of just how many additional hotel rooms are booked on home weekends. Is it really that many? 

 

People have a dream that a downtown stadium will bring in a sudden influx of visitors.

 

Its a similar dream to the fast ferry in Rochester.

[LabattBlue]

I don’t think the stadium is going downtown, but consider how many locals would make a long weekend out of staying downtown if the stadium was within walking distance or a short Uber ride away?

[PromoTheRobot]

43 minutes ago, Einstein said:

 

People have a dream that a downtown stadium will bring in a sudden influx of visitors.

 

Its a similar dream to the fast ferry in Rochester.

 

Sure, except the Bills are a proven draw. Fast ferries not so much.

Edited October 27, 2021 by PromoTheRobot

[Einstein]

Just now, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Sure, except the Bills are a proven draw. Fast ferries not so much.

 

They’re a proven draw for locals. They are not a proven draw for tourists or out-of-towners. Locals don’t often spend money on hotels. And the bars may make some more cash but it’s only 10 days per year.

[TheFunPolice]

If the Bills built a downtown stadium I wonder if they would try to do a Harbor Center type complex, where they could capitalize on the venue a bit more the rest of the days of the week.

 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

24 minutes ago, Einstein said:

 

They’re a proven draw for locals. They are not a proven draw for tourists or out-of-towners. Locals don’t often spend money on hotels. And the bars may make some more cash but it’s only 10 days per year.

 

Strongly disagree. thousands of fans come from out of town every week. You forget #BillsMafia is worldwide. Just look at this forum.

[BuffaloRebound]

Would Orchard Park even be in consideration for a new stadium if Wilson didn’t decide to put one there 50+ years ago?  As much as we owe to Ralph, I’m sure it was put in Orchard Park because it was the cheapest and easiest option for him to get a new stadium.  

[Einstein]

32 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Strongly disagree. thousands of fans come from out of town every week. You forget #BillsMafia is worldwide. Just look at this forum.

 

Unless someone can point me to a study that indicates otherwise, I believe that the majority of worldwide bills mafia fans choose away games in warm cities and nice areas such as Nashville and Miami and LA in Las Vegas as their game spots.

 

And the ones that do come home a few times per year or even once per year, still need a hotel to stay in. Still need food to put in their belly. They’re still spending dollars in the area. Regardless of where the stadium is physically located.

[Augie]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Strongly disagree. thousands of fans come from out of town every week. You forget #BillsMafia is worldwide. Just look at this forum.

 

Our flight from Chicago to Buffalo for the opener was AT LEAST 60% in Bills gear. Somewhere in the Nashville thread there was a clip of a guy boarding a flight and it looked like maybe 80% of the people had on Bills gear. I’m always surprised by how many people at the tailgate traveled more than an hour or two to be there. Of the few people I know at a tailgate, none are “local”.

 

Good point on the forum. How may people on this board live outside of WNY? The answer would be LOTS!