Buffalo Bills–2014: 1-0 – WK2 vs Miami – Pegulas reach agreement to buy team

[EichHart]

Agreed. Even in Buffalo with our utterly useless and incompetent leaders/politicians, they are not going to hinder a multi billionaire from spending hundreds of millions in our region. Pegula is a god send, a multi billionaire spending hundreds of millions in a dying city where he is doing everything he can to bring it back to our 1950's relevance. It's obvious Pegula is building an empire located in Downtown Buffalo. Sabres and Bandits in FNC. Harbor center right next door. They need to built a multi use stadium near downtown and do whatever it takes. Make it a convertible dome stadium so it can be multi use and start bringing back the large concerts that the Ralph used to bring along with other indoor events/conventions. Pegula should even buy HSBC tower/1 Seneca Center, and make it the home of his Buffalo sports holdings.


I love the fact that the Pegula family has 5 young kids who love the area and that they are absolute sports nuts. They are the polar opposite of the Wilson family where for the last 20 years of Ralph's life we were told the family had no interest in keeping the team once Ralph passed and that they would likely move to Toronto or LA. The place will be electric tomorrow. If Jim is at the game and they show him on the big screen right after showing Pegula the place will be off the ****ing walls

The dude really is incredible. He is single handily revitalization downtown Buffalo and others are taking notice and joining the movement. I see hotels going up all over, new restaurants/cafes, new companies moving here and expanding. Him and Ralph both deserve statues downtown next to the French Connection.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Agreed. Even in Buffalo with our utterly useless and incompetent leaders/politicians, they are not going to hinder a multi billionaire from spending hundreds of millions in our region. Pegula is a god send, a multi billionaire spending hundreds of millions in a dying city where he is doing everything he can to bring it back to our 1950's relevance. It's obvious Pegula is building an empire located in Downtown Buffalo. Sabres and Bandits in FNC. Harbor center right next door. They need to built a multi use stadium near downtown and do whatever it takes. Make it a convertible dome stadium so it can be multi use and start bringing back the large concerts that the Ralph used to bring along with other indoor events/conventions. Pegula should even buy HSBC tower/1 Seneca Center, and make it the home of his Buffalo sports holdings.


I love the fact that the Pegula family has 5 young kids who love the area and that they are absolute sports nuts. They are the polar opposite of the Wilson family where for the last 20 years of Ralph's life we were told the family had no interest in keeping the team once Ralph passed and that they would likely move to Toronto or LA. The place will be electric tomorrow. If Jim is at the game and they show him on the big screen right after showing Pegula the place will be off the ****ing walls

Agreed. I've always been astounded by WNY politics. A collection of "experts" on everything. Part of the reason for years of no progress was an inability of incompetent leaders to consider ideas they don't necessarily agree with.

RWS is going to be insane. Wish I could be there.

 

[Takeo]

Agreed. I've always been astounded by WNY politics. A collection of "experts" on everything. Part of the reason for years of no progress was an inability of incompetent leaders to consider ideas they don't necessarily agree with.

The greater issue is how New York City sucks up state taxes and revenue no matter how competent/incompetent WNY politicians may be. Pegula can't change that.

 

[cramdizzl]

Cannot wait to be in the stadium for this game tomorrow. I'll be working, but there nonetheless, and hopefully I'll get to catch most of it.

I've really never been to a "big" game at the Ralph. I can pretty count how many games I've gone to on one hand, so this should be an experience. The 4 games I can remember: Losing to Doug Flutie and the Chargers, getting destroyed by Brady in an absolute blizzard, beating the Broncos led by Tebow, who threw back to back pick 6's, and whooping the Jets one year later when Tebow was riding pine. Three of those games were in December, yeah. I'd say this game tomorrow trumps those pretty well. Actual implications.

I'm going with Boomer on this one and taking the Bills over the Phins, 24-13.

 

[Der Jaeger]

The greater issue is how New York City sucks up state taxes and revenue no matter how competent/incompetent WNY politicians may be. Pegula can't change that.

True, but it's just a condition of the situation. Change, no. Work around? Yes.

 

[MayDay]

The greater issue is how New York City sucks up state taxes and revenue no matter how competent/incompetent WNY politicians may be. Pegula can't change that.

The funny thing is (having lived extensively in both regions) I can tell you that people downstate and in NYC are absolutely 100% convinced of the opposite.

It's an article of faith down here that the NYC area pays more than its fair share in taxes, and the whole upstate region are net takers supported by disproportionate spending.

I was actually shocked at first hearing that, after growing up in Buffalo hearing the exact opposite. But everyone hear seems to believe it. Both sides can't be right. I wonder which is closer to the truth.

 

[MayDay]

The dude really is incredible. He is single handily revitalization downtown Buffalo and others are taking notice and joining the movement. I see hotels going up all over, new restaurants/cafes, new companies moving here and expanding. Him and Ralph both deserve statues downtown next to the French Connection.

I wouldn't attribute that all to Pegula.

A lot of people and a lot of businesses have taken the initiative and invested money in revitalizing Buffalo, both downtown and elsewhere.

Pegula has a lot of money and a lot of vision, and he's doing great things, but he's just one man.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Where in the city limits could a new stadium be built? I know any old area can be paved over but what could be a likely spot?

I offer the Summit Park Mall property in Wheatfield, and my opinion has nothing to do with where I grew up...promise.

 

[Husko]

The greater issue is how New York City sucks up state taxes and revenue no matter how competent/incompetent WNY politicians may be. Pegula can't change that.

That's actually sort of true, sort of false. I saw the #s somewhere, can't remember exactly, but I think it works out to NYC itself takes in more than it pays out, long island pays out way way way way way more than it takes in, and upstate NY, WNY includes, actually takes in more than it pays out. Yes, a lot of tax money goes to NYC, but it generates a lot too.

Edit: Not the article I was looking for, but it gets the point across. WNY and upstate takes substantial money from downstate, who really kind of gets screwed. People from upstate just like claiming all the money gets sucked up by NYC, when it's not true at all.

http://www.rockinst.org/observations/wardr/2011-12-giving_getting.aspx

 

[haseoke39]

That's actually sort of true, sort of false. I saw the #s somewhere, can't remember exactly, but I think it works out to NYC itself takes in more than it pays out, long island pays out way way way way way more than it takes in, and upstate NY, WNY includes, actually takes in more than it pays out. Yes, a lot of tax money goes to NYC, but it generates a lot too.

Edit: Not the article I was looking for, but it gets the point across. WNY and upstate takes substantial money from downstate, who really kind of gets screwed. People from upstate just like claiming all the money gets sucked up by NYC, when it's not true at all.

http://www.rockinst.org/observations/wardr/2011-12-giving_getting.aspx

I wonder how this figures in City tax, too. I paid >$1000 in income tax to NYC last year. There's not even a category for that tax in Upstate NY (Yonkers is the only other city in NY with an income tax).

 

[Husko]

Graphs and charts on pages 5 and 6:

http://www.rockinst.org/pdf/nys_government/2011-12-Giving_and_Getting.pdf

 

[Husko]

I wonder how this figures in City tax, too. I paid >$1000 in income tax to NYC last year. There's not even a category for that tax in Upstate NY (Yonkers is the only other city in NY with an income tax).

I assume all that money stays in NYC, paying for the MTA more than anything

 

[MayDay]

I assume all that money stays in NYC, paying for the MTA more than anything

This is getting a bit off-topic, but MTA is part of the state budget.

MTA doesn't just serve NYC but several other surrounding counties via the Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad.

People in NYC are actually kind of pissed about the fact that Albany controls the MTA budget, but that's for a reason.

 

[MayDay]

And yes, I moved out of NYC to northern Westchester county a couple years ago, and yes, I am glad I no longer have to pay NYC income tax.

It never amounted to that much for me, but still kind of crazy I had to pay three income taxes (city, state, and federal).

 

[Mike McDermott]

Hopefully the team can come out to a strong start and keep what will be insane insane energy from the crowd going.

 

[Takeo]

That's actually sort of true, sort of false. I saw the #s somewhere, can't remember exactly, but I think it works out to NYC itself takes in more than it pays out, long island pays out way way way way way more than it takes in, and upstate NY, WNY includes, actually takes in more than it pays out. Yes, a lot of tax money goes to NYC, but it generates a lot too.

Edit: Not the article I was looking for, but it gets the point across. WNY and upstate takes substantial money from downstate, who really kind of gets screwed. People from upstate just like claiming all the money gets sucked up by NYC, when it's not true at all.

http://www.rockinst.org/observations/wardr/2011-12-giving_getting.aspx

Thanks for posting that. Good info.

Dolphins 23
Bills 13

 

[joshjull]

@MMoulson: On our way...little red bull first @buffalobills #squishthefish #billsmafia http://t.co/mHSk3zO0aU

 

[stealth1]

It seems to me that the majority of people that are against a downtown stadium are more afraid of the lack of tailgating if a stadium gets put there. I would love it if the tailgating area was smaller. Then maybe it would cut down on the amount of drunks that go to the game. I am hoping when a new stadium gets built that tickets get raised high enough to price out the "fans" that just go to game to get drunk.

 

[JThorne]

Put simply, if NYC were to secede from NYS, our taxes here in Buffalo would(should) drop. How else can you explain one of the highest tax rates in the country for such a terrible infrastructure situation?

 

[joshjull]

The dude really is incredible. He is single handily revitalization downtown Buffalo and others are taking notice and joining the movement. I see hotels going up all over, new restaurants/cafes, new companies moving here and expanding. Him and Ralph both deserve statues downtown next to the French Connection.

Lets not get carried away. Pegula is part of the revitalization not the driving force. Most of the stuff you're referencing was happening with of without Pegula and the Harborcenter project.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Joe Buscaglia ‏@JoeBuscaglia

#Bills inactives: CB Cockrell, HB Brown, S Meeks, LB Rivers, G Richardson, T Kouandjio, TE Smith

So looks like Aaron Williams will play thankfully. Preston Brown probably gets the call for Rivers. Missing Smith is going to really hurt Henderson since they won't be able to give him that extra little bit of help with Wake.

 

[haseoke39]

Put simply, if NYC were to secede from NYS, our taxes here in Buffalo would(should) drop. How else can you explain one of the highest tax rates in the country for such a terrible infrastructure situation?

I don't know, but if you go by the data posted above, your taxes would go up, apparently. NYC is paying net money into your coffers. Maybe you got nothing to show for it, but that's a separate issue.

 

[haseoke39]

@MMoulson: On our way...little red bull first @buffalobills #squishthefish #billsmafia http://t.co/mHSk3zO0aU

What a dude. Makes me want to shout.

 

[ZZamboni]

Put simply, if NYC were to secede from NYS, our taxes here in Buffalo would(should) drop. How else can you explain one of the highest tax rates in the country for such a terrible infrastructure situation?

I would love it if NYC, Long Island, and hell, even give them up to Albany and Catskills region were to secede and become the new New York. The rest can become West New York. To answer your question, too many donkeys.

 

[joshjull]

If the problem is only about the traffic on game days, then it's even less worth changing the decision over. Let Buffalo, for once in a ******* century, actually have a traffic problem worth solving and then talk to me about what needs done to fix it. Could be as simple as more robust public transit to and from the area on game days.

The issues are not easily fixable IMO. Right now you get a nasty backups on the 190 to RT5 with there game in Orchard Park 18miles miles away. Thats because the Peace bridge empties out about a mile before the Skyway exit. So that means the folks from the North towns and Canada are coming through there. If they want to go to RT5 they need to pass through a SINGLE lane connector from the 3 lane 190 to the 2 lane Skyway. Its an elevated concrete off ramp and is a big reason for the clogging of traffic there. Right now thats getting backed up with only a small percentage of fans actually taking that way. Because many still just stay on the 190 to the 90 to head South. An Outer Harbor stadium would funnel the overwhelming majority of traffic if not all from Canada and the Northtowns through this single lane connector. And on top of that the Skyway only has two lanes and would be emptying out to the Outer harbor off ramps only 2miles from that connection into another one lane funnel to get to the one lane access road to the Outer Harbor. Most of this is elevated and not in a position to be widen. It also has a concrete barrier between the outbound and inbound lanes. So police directing traffic couldn't steal a lane from the other side like is done on Southwestern and some other roads around the Ralph to help with traffic. So there would be no way to elevating things once folks are through the connectors.

Public transportation can't help at all since there is no access for it.

I'm not trying to be negative juts realistic. I also don't really want to see land we are finally developing after decades of stagnation turned into a football stadium and parking lots. I'd rather see more public spaces that can be used year round. There are places near the FNC that would make better sense for a football stadium in the city than the Outer Harbor.