Ron Raccucia out as EVP/COO

[Thurman#1]

21 hours ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

I really don't think the overrun had much to do with it. Be it $500M or whatever it runs it's not actually coming out of Terry's pocket. 

 

The money he has to front will be reflected in the final prices for tickets, PSLs, concession and souvenir items. In the end WE are the ones that will be reimbursing those funds.

 

 

No, it comes out of Terry's pocket. 

 

Over the next ten or twenty years, some or much may well be made up by the consumers, but in a city with an economy like Buffalo's, you can't just raise the prices as much as you feel like and be sure they'll sell, you just can't.

 

And whatever the amount they feel they can raise prices, they'd probably have done so anyway, even if they hadn't been the ones having to pony up that $500M.

 

This will absolutely hit Terry in the wallet. Could it have been avoided? Not really clear, but it still will hurt.

[BuffaloBillyG]

19 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

No, it comes out of Terry's pocket. 

 

Over the next ten or twenty years, some or much may well be made up by the consumers, but in a city with an economy like Buffalo's, you can't just raise the prices as much as you feel like and be sure they'll sell, you just can't.

 

And whatever the amount they feel they can raise prices, they'd probably have done so anyway, even if they hadn't been the ones having to pony up that $500M.

 

This will absolutely hit Terry in the wallet. Could it have been avoided? Not really clear, but it still will hurt.

Agree to disagree. Strongly in this case. Every penny that Terry fronts will be made up. Using a poor Buffalo economy is pointless because they get millions funneled in from other areas and out of towners as well. And let's face facts, the dir hard Bills fan bringing a family of four out to a Bills game or two is no longer the target demographic. There are plenty of people in the area (and out) that have disposable income and will pay whatever the price is to be where it "it" place is. I've seen the shift more and more over the years. 

 

If they pop prices up...they will still sell as long as the Bills are winning. There will be a waiting list of people to take turns throwing their cash at Pegula as a matter of fact.

[Thurman#1]

41 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Agree to disagree. Strongly in this case. Every penny that Terry fronts will be made up. Using a poor Buffalo economy is pointless because they get millions funneled in from other areas and out of towners as well. And let's face facts, the dir hard Bills fan bringing a family of four out to a Bills game or two is no longer the target demographic. There are plenty of people in the area (and out) that have disposable income and will pay whatever the price is to be where it "it" place is. I've seen the shift more and more over the years. 

 

If they pop prices up...they will still sell as long as the Bills are winning. There will be a waiting list of people to take turns throwing their cash at Pegula as a matter of fact.

 

 

It's not a matter of disagreeing. You've got a fantasy there. 

 

And you can talk about imaginary target demographics all you want. It's not a rich area. Yes, there are plenty of people in the area that have disposable income. Not $500M of it in a year that nobody will miss, though. Not in less than quite a few years and probably not completely even then. And plenty of those people with disposable income have other things they would like to use the disposable income on.

 

I'm sure they will pop the prices up. Some will be willing to pay, particularly a certain richer group, and for the best seats. There will be grumbling, but up to a certain point it won't be important or impactful. But there would be a limit when we would start to see seats not sell and bad publicity be generated that starts to sting ears and raise hackles. And that $500M will come out of the Pegulas pocket when the invoices come due. As make-up money comes in year-by-year, the unmade ROI on the money they were forced to pay will make the actual money lost amount to more and more every year.

 

This hurts the Pegulas. Thinking otherwise is kidding yourself.

 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by Thurman#1

[Bob Jones]

6 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Leaving aside what does and does not strike you, do you really believe she was the only one in the room dealing on behalf of NYS?

 

No, you don't.

Of course, and Ron R. wasn’t the only one on the Bills side of the table. But the story said that Hochul was the one who was miffed/upset (they actually quoted her). Again, Hochul had little to no experience in these types of deals, yet she was speaking negatively about a Bills rep (if the leaked details are true). Maybe the Bills’ side (everybody) was playing “hardball”, which is a very normal COA in these types of matters, especially IF you hold the upper hand, and the Bills definitely did in this matter. Maybe Hochul interpreted the hardball tactics as rude? Who knows. From everything I’ve read about Ron R., his profile doesn’t fit with what Hochul said.

[Mr. WEO]

13 minutes ago, Bob Jones said:

Of course, and Ron R. wasn’t the only one on the Bills side of the table. But the story said that Hochul was the one who was miffed/upset (they actually quoted her). Again, Hochul had little to no experience in these types of deals, yet she was speaking negatively about a Bills rep (if the leaked details are true). Maybe the Bills’ side (everybody) was playing “hardball”, which is a very normal COA in these types of matters, especially IF you hold the upper hand, and the Bills definitely did in this matter. Maybe Hochul interpreted the hardball tactics as rude? Who knows. From everything I’ve read about Ron R., his profile doesn’t fit with what Hochul said.

 

 

Maybe you missed the part where Pegula s%%%tcanned this guy.  HE did not leave voluntarily.  So obviously the Governor wasn't the only one who had a problem with him.

 

Also, Hochul (any governor) has to horsetrade with 213 legislators to produce a $229 billion dollar state budget.  You think she struggles with some hump for PSE with his hat in his hand demanding shakedown money for his boss's new stadium?  

 

lol, come on.  You need to take a civics class.

[Bob Jones]

2 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

Maybe you missed the part where Pegula s%%%tcanned this guy.  HE did not leave voluntarily.  So obviously the Governor wasn't the only one who had a problem with him.

 

Also, Hochul (any governor) has to horsetrade with 213 legislators to produce a $229 billion dollar state budget.  You think she struggles with some hump for PSE with his hat in his hand demanding shakedown money for his boss's new stadium?  

 

lol, come on.  You need to take a civics class.

Actually, many years ago, I was on my way to getting a Masters degree in Public Administration, but something else came up in my life, and unfortunately I never finished it. I did get about 75% through it though, so I attended & completed many “civics” courses. LOL

 

The bottom line is that as of right now, VERY FEW people know the real reason why Ron R. was fired, and certainly no keyboard warrior here at TBD knows. My statements about Hochul and her shortcomings are still valid.

[Mr. WEO]

4 minutes ago, Bob Jones said:

Actually, many years ago, I was on my way to getting a Masters degree in Public Administration, but something else came up in my life, and unfortunately I never finished it. I did get about 75% through it though, so I attended & completed many “civics” courses. LOL

 

The bottom line is that as of right now, VERY FEW people know the real reason why Ron R. was fired, and certainly no keyboard warrior here at TBD knows. My statements about Hochul and her shortcomings are still valid.

 

The reason he was fired is that his boss didn't want him around anymore.  He probably didn't think it was wise to antigonize the public entity tossing 100's of millions of dollars for his place of business. This isn't very mysterious. 

 

Did your school describe the budget negotiations a governor must go through every fiscal year?  If it did, you wouldn't have said what you did.  Maybe that was discussed in the other 25%....

 

Also who validated your statements about shortcomings?

[PromoTheRobot]

3 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

No, it comes out of Terry's pocket. 

 

Over the next ten or twenty years, some or much may well be made up by the consumers, but in a city with an economy like Buffalo's, you can't just raise the prices as much as you feel like and be sure they'll sell, you just can't.

 

And whatever the amount they feel they can raise prices, they'd probably have done so anyway, even if they hadn't been the ones having to pony up that $500M.

 

This will absolutely hit Terry in the wallet. Could it have been avoided? Not really clear, but it still will hurt.

 

For Terry's sake the Bills have to stay good. In the end, the new Highmark stadium will be known as the "House that Josh Built."

[stuvian]

one of the biggest barriers to communication between he and the Pegulas was that no one knew how to pronounce Raccuia

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by stuvian

[SectionC3]

12 hours ago, Bob Jones said:

Hochul strikes me as an incompetent hack, so there’s that. Her only experience in the real business world was that she worked (for a short time…a couple years) as a government relations executive for M&T Bank. So obviously she was NOT someone well versed or experienced in making these kinds of deals.

And yet she was smart enough to be elected governor. 

[boyst]

I don't care much about this whole thing and despise that the state is funding it at all.

 

That being said, id imagine that hochul probably didn't get her ass kissed enough by him and he wasn't afraid of her like most people are politicians.

[CoudyBills]

47 minutes ago, SectionC3 said:

And yet she was smart enough to be elected governor. 

HA, it's just that her electorate isn't.

Edited August 7, 2023 by CoudyBills

[boyst]

6 hours ago, Bob Jones said:

Of course, and Ron R. wasn’t the only one on the Bills side of the table. But the story said that Hochul was the one who was miffed/upset (they actually quoted her). Again, Hochul had little to no experience in these types of deals, yet she was speaking negatively about a Bills rep (if the leaked details are true). Maybe the Bills’ side (everybody) was playing “hardball”, which is a very normal COA in these types of matters, especially IF you hold the upper hand, and the Bills definitely did in this matter. Maybe Hochul interpreted the hardball tactics as rude? Who knows. From everything I’ve read about Ron R., his profile doesn’t fit with what Hochul said.

I agree with this. Hochul probably felt disrespected and is unaware due to her lack of experience of what reality is like outside of bureaucracy/politics.

 

I saw someone saying she must be smart to have won election. She nearly lost to take a historical "L" after getting lucky about Cuomo being removed. NY is a uniparty state.

 

Point of note: this post does not reflect or intend to reflect any political points or beliefs. If you read that it does, you are mistaken.

[Bob Jones]

5 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

Also who validated your statements about shortcomings?

NY residents.

https://scri.siena.edu/2023/05/16/hochul-favorability-rating-negative-for-first-time-40-45-majority-say-hochul-hard-working-split-on-both-effective-and-strong-leader/#:~:text=Her job approval rating slid,corrupt%2C 47-26%.

[SectionC3]

21 minutes ago, CoudyBills said:

HA, it's just that her electorate isn't.

That’s your opinion.  She got there from Hamburg.  You didn’t. Neither did “Bob Jones,” of “nearly almost came close to getting and MPA” fame. 

[SectionC3]

25 minutes ago, boyst said:

I agree with this. Hochul probably felt disrespected and is unaware due to her lack of experience of what reality is like outside of bureaucracy/politics.

 

I saw someone saying she must be smart to have won election. She nearly lost to take a historical "L" after getting lucky about Cuomo being removed. NY is a uniparty state.

 

Point of note: this post does not reflect or intend to reflect any political points or beliefs. If you read that it does, you are mistaken.

You gotta wrangle snakes to survive as governor of NYS.  Dealing with the NYC crowd is not for the faint of heart.  Raccuia acted like a jerk, and it never occurred to him that the person coughing up $600m in public money might ask for a sweetener at the end.  The sweetener, of course, was his head on a platter.  So for all of the talk about her being weak and wimpy and whatnot, don't forget about the significant change that she was pretty cold-blooded in taking this guy down at the end of the process.  

[boyst]

3 minutes ago, SectionC3 said:

You gotta wrangle snakes to survive as governor of NYS.  Dealing with the NYC crowd is not for the faint of heart.  Raccuia acted like a jerk, and it never occurred to him that the person coughing up $600m in public money might ask for a sweetener at the end.  The sweetener, of course, was his head on a platter.  So for all of the talk about her being weak and wimpy and whatnot, don't forget about the significant change that she was pretty cold-blooded in taking this guy down at the end of the process.  

Oh, I don't. And for the cold blooded behavior I doubt she lasts her current term. NY politics are cut throat. It's hilarious.

[SectionC3]

6 minutes ago, boyst said:

Oh, I don't. And for the cold blooded behavior I doubt she lasts her current term. NY politics are cut throat. It's hilarious.

She's clean.  She'll serve the term, unless we have a different Democratic president elected in 2024 who wants to put her into a Cabinet position (which I doubt will happen).