TBN: Stadium/Arena Thread

[Buffaloed]

Bills seek $1.1 billion new stadium in Orchard Park – paid for by public

ALBANY – The start of any negotiations involving a complex deal whose end product could be expensive, impactful and controversial can be an anxious time.
It’s an anxious time right now in Buffalo and at the State Capitol in Albany.
Preliminary talks have begun between the owners of the Buffalo Bills, the State of New York and Erie County as officials consider a pitch by the team to build a new NFL stadium.
In fact, it’s one of the largest asks for public money in pro sports stadium negotiations: Pegula Sports and Entertainment, the team’s owners, have pitched a $1.5 billion proposal for a new stadium in Orchard Park and to help cover some renovation costs to the Pegulas' NHL Sabres arena in downtown Buffalo.

I assume this will be negotiated down to the taxpayers paying 60-70%. I think there's going to be a lot of opposition in the legislature. This is just a preliminary proposal to get the process started. The Pegulas know that no matter what they propose there will an effort to reduce the public subsidy so might as well start at 100%

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[zenthusiast]

I think most people have seen the math at this point as to how it’s not really a good economic deal for taxpayers but it’s still the cost of doing business

the optics are horrible

 

[old kummelweck]

Obscene.

 

[SackTastic]

At least $200M will come from the Pegulas to get $200M in free money from the NFL. They aren't going to chip in nothing, but it's still going to be ugly.

I do chuckle that the $400M for renos to KBC. That's TWICE what it cost to build the place in inflation adjusted dollars.

 

[MayDay]

Hey, why should Joe Taxpayer have to foot the bill here?

I thought Terry could just go drill another well?

 

[KeyserSoze81]

Hey, why should Joe Taxpayer have to foot the bill here?

I thought Terry could just go drill another well?

We are the well.

 

[Buffaloed]

They need to shove a few affordable apartments in each venue for the maintenance staff to get huge subsidies.

 

[SackTastic]

They need to shove a few affordable apartments in each venue for the maintenance staff to get huge subsidies.

Want to take odds how much 'mixed-use' and 'market rate' shows up in the final agreement?

 

[CanadianCoyote]

Imagine expecting taxpayers to cover the entire expense of building an entire new stadium and renovating an old one coming off of a global pandemic and economic recession.

I don't know if Terry's stupid, if he thinks the city won't call his bluff or both.

 

[Buffaloed]

Pegula Sports & Entertainment to study long-term venues for Bills and Sabres | wgrz.com
The Bills' lease with Erie County, which owns the current stadium in Orchard Park and arena in Buffalo, expires in 2023.

The Sabres' lease expires in 2025.

In a statement, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, a Democrat who has expressed concern about putting up county money for a new Bills stadium, said the Pegulas' announcement Tuesday was expected by the county.

"Nothing announced today should indicate any particular action, such as building a new stadium or hockey arena, will in fact occur," Poloncarz said.

We need to buck up and get ready to lose both teams. The Pegulas are like a mama bear protecting its cubs when it comes to lifestyle preservation.

 

[jc17]

Pegulas intentionally mishandling the Sabres to make possible bills relocation not seem like an empty threat, to save 1.5 billion.

Galaxy brain as the kids say

 

[Ace]

 

[Dirty Dog]

Austin is just about the only city I’d still even root for the bills if they moved. And I’d do it very begrudgingly.

But no chance they move, a terribly hollow bluff

 

[Ehran]

As a resident of Austin I tell the Pegulas.... bite me.

 

[MayDay]

LOL.

Alternative proposal: use a small portion of your vast fortune to build your own damn stadium for your team to play in (which will still be wildly profitable). Or go to Austin and GFY, I don't care.

I'm about done with billionaires extorting the public to make themselves richer at taxpayer expense. I love the Bills and Sabres, but I'd rather they leave than continue to play this stupid corrupt stadium game. At the end of the day, sports are entertainment, and there are better uses for the taxpayers' money.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

I’m confident in saying there’s a 0% chance the NHL would ever let the Sabres move. They’d sooner force a sale. If they drive such a hard line against Arizona’s relocation, they’ll never let one of their best American markets go.

I have no such confidence in the NFL. To the contrary, they’ll do whatever makes the most financial sense for them.

 

[sabres4ever]

So glad I left NY and never looked back. Nuclear dumpster fire.

 

[Ace]

Everyone pay for our stadium so we can raise prices and you won’t be able to go

 

[Ehran]

I’m confident in saying there’s a 0% chance the NHL would ever let the Sabres move. They’d sooner force a sale. If they drive such a hard line against Arizona’s relocation, they’ll never let one of their best American markets go.

I have no such confidence in the NFL. To the contrary, they’ll do whatever makes the most financial sense for them.

There is a > 0% chance the NHL would approve a move to Houston. Entry into the 4th largest market in the U.S.? The owners would prefer an expansion team (read: expansion fee) but the increase in TV rights and overall revenues generated by Houston might offset the expansion fee demand.

Probable that the Sabres move? No. But definitely greater than 0%.

 

[Buff15Sabres]

So glad I left NY and never looked back. Nuclear dumpster fire.

What does NY state have to do with greedy billionaire owners asking for a 100% publicly financed stadium ?

 

[Gabrielor]

I'm happy I'm only emotionally invested in 1 Pegula sports franchise.

Glad Bills fans finally get to see who these people are. Greedy, insanely wealthy idiots who bumbled into success in 1 franchise, have killed another, and now just want all the money to belong to them.

Sometime, maybe in my life, the wealth gap is going to blow up on these folks. It always does.

 

[Husko]

I'm mostly bummed they're so committed to OP and not even considering a mega football/ice arena/harbor center/convention center/everything else in the world you could want facility in downtown Buffalo. Not only would it be way cooler and more useful (And let us knock down the hellhole that is the arena), but it would be a way easier sell for use of public funds.

 

[threeVo]

Yea well the Mets and Yankees got new houses with a ton a taxpayer money. This should shock exactly no one

 

[EichHart]

The Pegulas are so fake lol. I really thought they cared about the people of Buffalo. Looks like just another business venture.

 

[5 Minute Major]

Hey, why should Joe Taxpayer have to foot the bill here?

I thought Terry could just go drill another well?

Don't be the first to cry if the Bills and Sabres move.