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TBN: KeyBank Center upgrades

rabi said:
Shouldn’t we have heard about the next phase of renovations already? Nothing going to happen this off-season?
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Chad D has heard of plans for this summer and future summers with regards to the future plans for improvements.

My guess is that they announce the plans for this summer after the season ends as a magic trick to try and get people to talk about something other than the team missing the playoffs for the 14th straight season and how they might run things back again with 90%+ of the same roster.
 
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Also of note is the fact that there are no events scheduled at KBC between May 3 and August 9.

I am guessing that they can get quite a bit done in three months...
 
RefsIdeas said:
Anybody know the implications of this? The article isn’t very clear on it
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"We're going to have conversations with the Sabres, just like we did with the Bills," Poloncarz said. "We'll look at what's necessary for investing in that facility so that we can keep our team here and also make the KeyBank Center the best it can be, but I don't really want to continue ownership."

KeyBank Center, originally proposed as Crossroads Arena, opened on September 21, 1996. Since then, there have been seven different significant renovation projects, the most recent being completed in 2016.

Last year, a new roof and updated scoreboard were installed at the downtown facility, but those are considered more maintenance and upgrade related rather than significant renovations by some.

After the county lets their lease expire, control of KeyBank Center will revert back to the City of Buffalo, specifically the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency.

2 On Your Side asked acting Mayor Chris Scanlon if he was aware that the county was planning on not renewing its lease, or if he had heard about the plan.

"No, nothing," Scanlon said.

Right now, it's unknown how much renovations at KeyBank Center will cost, but several sources have told 2 On Your Side that the price tag could range between $75M-$200M.

When it was initially built, construction of what is now KeyBank Center cost $127.5M, roughly $256M adjusted for inflation.

As the current lease with the county ends, it's also unknown what percentage of maintenance or renovation costs the Sabres would need to pay for, or if the city is on the hook for those costs.

The City of Buffalo is currently facing a $50M budget deficit.
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It sounds like Erie County and the City of Buffalo both want to touch their nose and say, "Not it!"
 
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The Hartford Whalers ceased to exist for two primary reasons:

1) Their arena was not up to league standards and needed to be replaced.

2) The municipality didn't want to spend the money to build the replacement and the team's horrible play killed any public appetite to do so and save the team.


Have a nice day!!!
 
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sabremike said:
How is a story like this completely flying under the radar? It's just bonkers.
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Its interesting. I'm not sure what impact it will have long term.

If I had to guess, the city probably isn't all that well equipped to be a landlord/book events/etc.

If I had to guess, it'll probably be put up for sale. Can't imagine there is much interest in tearing it down. A new arena would take, realistically, 5-6 years to build if they started today. My guess is someone simply purchase the arena outright and act as the Sabres landlord. The pending re-refurbishment likely means someone buys it at a bargain rate.

It could make sense for the city to sell the Arena to the Sabres in exchange for them paying for the refurbishment and coming to agreements on maintaining the outside.
 
"We're going to have conversations with the Sabres, just like we did with the Bills," Poloncarz said. "We'll look at what's necessary for investing in that facility so that we can keep our team here and also make the KeyBank Center the best it can be, but I don't really want to continue ownership."

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Sounds to me like they are willing to discuss giving the Sabres money for arena upgrades (to keep the team in Buffalo) but no longer want to own the arena. They did the same with ownership of the new Bills stadium. They just don’t want to be responsible for upkeep anymore.

I don’t think this is anything to panic about.
 
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WeDislikeEich said:
"We're going to have conversations with the Sabres, just like we did with the Bills," Poloncarz said. "We'll look at what's necessary for investing in that facility so that we can keep our team here and also make the KeyBank Center the best it can be, but I don't really want to continue ownership."

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Sounds to me like they are willing to discuss giving the Sabres money for arena upgrades (to keep the team in Buffalo) but no longer want to own the arena. They did the same with ownership of the new Bills stadium. They just don’t want to be responsible for upkeep anymore.

I don’t think this is anything to panic about.
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Maybe. The Sabres are the tenant, why would they be responsible for arena renovations?
Who paid for the first 5 renovations and the more recent roof/scoreboard "upgrade"?

I could understand getting out of it because of BS lawsuits.
 
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