Ron Raccucia out as EVP/COO

[JohnNord]

2 minutes ago, Whkfc said:

Not a good look for Raccuia if this is true. Always be transparent with your boss.

Sounds like he was too comfortable working under Kim.

[Lost]

Called it

 

On 7/19/2023 at 3:21 PM, Lost said:

Terry probably already found out there is going to be massive cost overruns that he is going to be on the hook for and Ron is the scapegoat.   That's my off the wall hypothesis

[Mr. WEO]

Just now, JohnNord said:

This is the exact quote from the article.  It also listed that Raccuia was “unapologetically aggressive” in his business dealings:

 

Three people with direct knowledge of the Bills’ stadium negotiations said Hochul grew to despise Raccuia’s tactics and said she contemplated requesting his absence from meetings. One of those sources quoted Hochul as calling Raccuia’s methods “arrogant” and “obnoxious.” Hochul’s press office didn’t respond to a request for comment from The Athletic regarding this story.

 

 

I was being facetious.  This guy came off as an A+-hole.

Just now, Lost said:

Called it

 

 

What was Raccuia supposed to do about that?  The deal was worked out with the state already.  Even Pegula could understand that stadiums can have massive overruns on costs---yet he already, personally, as the owner of the team and PSE, agreed to whatever they would be (he would also be free to cut back on some of his asks for features and design to save himself on the overruns).  Has nothing to do with Don Ron.

[davefan66]

Pretty sure Terry is a good businessman.  Whatever his reasons, are his reasons.

 

Firings like this go in all the time in the business world.

[Doc]

3 minutes ago, davefan66 said:

Pretty sure Terry is a good businessman.  Whatever his reasons, are his reasons.

 

Firings like this go in all the time in the business world.

 

This.  Not at all worried about the business side of things.  Performance on the field is most important and that's in good hands.

 

BTW, $500M potential cost overruns on a stadium in OP?  Imagine the cost overruns on a domed stadium in downtown Buffalo.

[davefan66]

Just now, Doc said:

 

This.  Not at all worried about the business side of things.  Performance on the field is most important and that's in good hands.

 

BTW, $500M potential cost overruns on a stadium in OP?  Imagine the cost overruns on a domed stadium in downtown Buffalo.

Cost overruns happen on every stadium. Shouldn’t have surprised Terry.  The amount is a bit more than one would expect I guess, but the thing ain’t even started yet.  I’m sure the cost overrun amount will be a moving target.

[Beck Water]

15 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

"He was said to be “obnoxious” and “arrogant” in his business dealing and reportedly turned off NY Gov. Kathy Hochul during negotiations."

 

Really??!!  Wow, he sure didn't come off like that!

 

lol 

 

Really?  And how many business dealings did you have with Mr Raccuia?

 

What a silly post

13 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

I was being facetious.  This guy came off as an A+-hole.

 

Oh, OK.  Never Mind

[Sierra Foothills]

24 minutes ago, Lost said:

Called it

 

11 minutes ago, davefan66 said:

Cost overruns happen on every stadium. Shouldn’t have surprised Terry.  The amount is a bit more than one would expect I guess, but the thing ain’t even started yet.  I’m sure the cost overrun amount will be a moving target.

 

i thought the 100% responsibility of cost overruns by the Bills could be a contributing factor in the firing.

 

The budget is $1.54 billion and they're already looking at 30% over after barely breaking ground?

 

This was a huge concession by the Bills IMO and purely from the team perspective, not a good one.

 

Atop the other reasons this could have been the last straw.

 

 

 

[MarkyMannn]

18 minutes ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

 

i thought the 100% responsibility of cost overruns by the Bills could be a contributing factor in the firing.

 

The budget is $1.54 billion and they're already looking at 30% over after barely breaking ground?

 

This was a huge concession by the Bills IMO and purely from the team perspective, not a good one.

 

Atop the other reasons this could have been the last straw.

 

 

 

Who ever did the costing / budgeting should be fired. To your point, just started and well over

[Since1981]

49 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

Hochul grew to despise Raccuia’s tactics and said she contemplated requesting his absence from meetings

I’m glad to see turnover at Bills business. It’s what organizations do.
 

It is very unusual to see people say  “despise” and “absence” working out agreements. Usually, “Hard negotiator”, “firm”, “difficult but trusted”

 

he must have been a real d#ck to a sitting governor. Imagine what he is like to lesser peeps

Terry has built many business now. He surely knew about construction overrun potential.
 

It feels like a major personality conflict. If people lose trust between (“despise his tactics”)— it’s pretty hard to put that genie back in the bottle (see cheating husband divorce)

[Mr. WEO]

58 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Really?  And how many business dealings did you have with Mr Raccuia?

 

What a silly post

 

Oh, OK.  Never Mind

 

I mean he was put out there by Pegula as the guy to voice the threat to move to the county and state (and public)during negotiations.  Terry was never going to come out and say it.  He put his boy out there to deliver the threat, got the deal done and gave him the axe. 

 

 

[Cheektowaga Chad]

2 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

I mean he was put out there by Pegula as the guy to voice the threat to move to the county and state (and public)during negotiations.  Terry was never going to come out and say it.  He put his boy out there to deliver the threat, got the deal done and gave him the axe. 

 

 

Honest question was that at Terry's request to do the threat? 

 

Logically I get what you're saying Terry or Kim could never come out personally and say that but given these new reports of how Ron was negotiating could it have also been his idea? 

[Sierra Foothills]

Different subtopic, in Tim Graham's article on the subject it's clear that Raccuia was surprised by his termination.

 

This implies that he was comfortable in his job... perhaps he felt untouchable...

 

 

1 hour ago, JohnNord said:

Sounds like he was too comfortable working under Kim.

 

That's what it sounds like to me too. 

[Mr. WEO]

6 minutes ago, Cheektowaga Chad said:

Honest question was that at Terry's request to do the threat? 

 

Logically I get what you're saying Terry or Kim could never come out personally and say that but given these new reports of how Ron was negotiating could it have also been his idea? 

 

come on....

 

There's no chance whatsoever that Pegula did not know or want Raccuia to say that.  If that was true, Pegula would have immediately put a retraction out there.

[PBF81]

1 hour ago, davefan66 said:

Cost overruns happen on every stadium. Shouldn’t have surprised Terry.  The amount is a bit more than one would expect I guess, but the thing ain’t even started yet.  I’m sure the cost overrun amount will be a moving target.

 

Indeed

 

I'd be surprised if they're only $500M. 

 

 

[Sierra Foothills]

28 minutes ago, Since1981 said:

It is very unusual to see people say  “despise” and “absence” working out agreements. Usually, “Hard negotiator”, “firm”, “difficult but trusted”

 

he must have been a real d#ck to a sitting governor. Imagine what he is like to lesser peeps

Terry has built many business now. He surely knew about construction overrun potential.
 

It feels like a major personality conflict. If people lose trust between (“despise his tactics”)— it’s pretty hard to put that genie back in the bottle (see cheating husband divorce)

 

Another solid take. You can be a tough negotiator without offending the other party.

 

That's why the best sports agents are successful because they are negotiating repeatedly within the same small community.

 

They understand that they can't afford to offend people who are essentially their business partners.

 

If Raccuia was offending high-ranking public officials and community leaders, that's not tolerable.

 

1 minute ago, PBF81 said:

Indeed

 

I'd be surprised if they're only $500M. 

 

 

 

I work in construction and project management.

 

Yes you can usually assume overruns especially with stadium projects BUT there's an acceptable level and then there's the point above that where people lose their jobs.

 

Successful people like Pegula don't just shrug off blow budgets. 

 

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Tom Donahoe, GM said:

If you don't do your job to the owners satisfaction you risk losing that job. This is life

 

I know every time I have cost my employer an extra half BILLION dollars I have gotten a stern talking to! 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

8 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I know every time I have cost my employer an extra half BILLION dollars I have gotten a stern talking to! 

[LabattBlue]

But but but…I thought the plan was for RR to leave once the stadium deal was done and ground was broken.  😂

 

Oops. 

[BearNorth]

Wonder if Hochul's husband leaving Delaware North is somehow connected?