Buffalo Bills want a new stadium – and for taxpayers to foot the bill

[Arm of Harm]

1 hour ago, Core Four said:

 

The Federal government can't tell states and local municipalities how to spend their money...at least not yet.

Things are not necessarily that simple. If the goal is to stop local governments from subsidizing NFL stadiums, one example of how that could be achieved is as follows. The law could stipulate that if the NFL or an NFL owner accepts public funding for a stadium, the NFL would lose its anti-trust exemption. The NFL would then be treated like a monopoly (which it is), and would be subject to various forms of regulation. 
 

Im not a lawyer. I’m guessing that a clever lawyer, knowledgeable in the relevant areas of law, could come up with other ways this could be accomplished. 

[Core Four]

5 minutes ago, Arm of Harm said:

Things are not necessarily that simple. If the goal is to stop local governments from subsidizing NFL stadiums, one example of how that could be achieved is as follows. The law could stipulate that if the NFL or an NFL owner accepts public funding for a stadium, the NFL would lose its anti-trust exemption. The NFL would then be treated like a monopoly (which it is), and would be subject to various forms of regulation. 
 

Im not a lawyer. I’m guessing that a clever lawyer, knowledgeable in the relevant areas of law, could come up with other ways this could be accomplished. 

 

I get your gist.  Congress knows full well the NFL is a monopoly and gets special treatment.  Case and point, Chuck Schumer threatened the NFL's anti-trust exemption if the Bills moved from Buffalo.  Right there, I knew the Bills were staying in Buffalo.  I hate that sewer rat, but sometimes it pays to have a powerful advocate...as filthy as he is.

 

Regarding stadiums being funded by local municipalities - I believe the local area gets the tax revenue from concession and ticket sales, at the least.

[Ann]

This reinforces the point that there are but a handful of acts that can use a football stadium during the off-season, and why the Bills Stadium was never likely to be downtown:

Wednesday, August 10th: Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, with Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Thursday, August 11th: Metallica with Special Guests Greta Van Fleet and Ice Nine Kills
 

 

[Ann]

Carucci Take2 Bills Mailbag: Optimism on imminent stadium announcement

Jerry: With the end of March deadline fast approaching, when will we hear a new stadium agreement has been reached?

Vic Carucci: Hearing all of the positive public talk from the governor and others connected with the talks, as well as the “any-day-now” messaging I’ve received in many private conversations, I’m fairly confident we’ll have a stadium agreement announced well before the end of March.

 

Everything I’ve heard is that government and Pegula Sports & Entertainment representatives remain on track to reach the finish line, particularly with Kathy Hochul fully understanding strong Western New York support for her gubernatorial campaign largely hinges on securing the long-term future of the Bills in Buffalo. And make no mistake, the only way this thing happens is with the state forking over the vast majority of the projected price tag of $1.4 billion (meaning something likely north of $1.1 billion).
 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II have done their respective parts to apply pressure on government entities with recent media comments referencing 2023 expiration of the Highmark Stadium lease and Highmark’s useful lifespan due to expire in about five years. Though I think there are some tough issues still being tackled – not the least of which is which parties are responsible for what percentage of inevitable cost overruns – far too much time, cost and effort have gone into the process to think it would yield anything other than the construction of a new stadium for the Bills to occupy well within that five-year window.
 

</snip>

 

[Ann]

...
 

take-away:
 

How long will all this take?
 

Shhhhh! Don’t go spreading this around, but the Bills already have begun preliminary steps to building their new stadium. In anticipation of a deal getting done, the Bills have gotten started in hopes of maintaining their internal schedule.
 

Remember, the Bills had hoped to have an agreement struck two months ago.
 

The construction project is expected to take four years.

[Ann]

Soon

 

 

[Ann]

...

[Spartacus]

16 hours ago, Ann said:

...

multi story parking structure probably to go in the hole where Ralph sits

[Spartacus]

no mention of Batavia

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/03/04/bills-close-in-on-deal-for-new-stadium/

 

The deal isn’t done, and nothing is ever done until it’s done. But it’s getting there. And the total public contribution could exceed more than $1 billion, with roughly $850 million going to the actual stadium construction costs.

Edited March 4, 2022 by Spartacus

[RochesterRob]

6 minutes ago, Spartacus said:

no mention of Batavia

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/03/04/bills-close-in-on-deal-for-new-stadium/

 

The deal isn’t done, and nothing is ever done until it’s done. But it’s getting there. And the total public contribution could exceed more than $1 billion, with roughly $850 million going to the actual stadium construction costs.

  Did they strike oil or gas in Genesee County to pay for it?  The economy there is hardly robust to lay a foundation for a stadium initiative.  If the oil and gas economy was as hot as it was 130 years ago then maybe Allegany or Cattaraugus Counties.  All that aside I don't see any regionalization effort that involves building a stadium outside of Erie County.

[Seasons1992]

6 minutes ago, RochesterRob said:

  Did they strike oil or gas in Genesee County to pay for it?  The economy there is hardly robust to lay a foundation for a stadium initiative.  If the oil and gas economy was as hot as it was 130 years ago then maybe Allegany or Cattaraugus Counties.  All that aside I don't see any regionalization effort that involves building a stadium outside of Erie County.

 

It will be some of Erie County, and some of the public, and mostly NYS I'd imagine.

[Ann]

...

[Ann]

Interesting...

[Spartacus]

11 minutes ago, Ann said:

Interesting...

alcohol sales, at inflated prices

[Ann]

Good Morning, Buffalo: How NFL money would help fund a new Bills stadium
 

NFL could provide $150M, Pegulas at least $200M to build stadium for Buffalo Bills

The National Football League will help finance a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills.
 

Team owners Kim and Terry Pegula can apply for a loan from the league to help cover construction costs, up to $150 million of which could be repaid by the league’s other 31 franchises, through the visiting team’s share of Bills ticket revenue.
 

In order to receive this maximum benefit, the Pegulas must commit at least $200 million of their own equity to the project, a portion of which can come from selling personal seat licenses to season ticket holders. That means at least $350 million of the stadium costs could be privately funded.
 

</snip>

[Spartacus]

13 hours ago, Ann said:

Good Morning, Buffalo: How NFL money would help fund a new Bills stadium
 

NFL could provide $150M, Pegulas at least $200M to build stadium for Buffalo Bills

The National Football League will help finance a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills.
 

Team owners Kim and Terry Pegula can apply for a loan from the league to help cover construction costs, up to $150 million of which could be repaid by the league’s other 31 franchises, through the visiting team’s share of Bills ticket revenue.
 

In order to receive this maximum benefit, the Pegulas must commit at least $200 million of their own equity to the project, a portion of which can come from selling personal seat licenses to season ticket holders. That means at least $350 million of the stadium costs could be privately funded.
 

</snip>

good use of the new math

Bills fans pay for PSLs

this money is counted as part of Pegula's "equity" investment

[Spartacus]

https://theathletic.com/3175402/2022/03/10/bills-pick-architecture-powerhouse-populous-for-new-orchard-park-stadium/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983

 

NFL sources confirm the Bills have selected powerhouse firm Populous as the architect for their new open-air stadium across Abbott Road from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.

 

Hiring an architect indicates the Bills are pushing forward despite a stadium deal not having been announced with New York State and Erie County. The project has been estimated to cost $1.4 billion.

 

Stadium renderings are reasonable to expect in about four to six months.

[Ann]

Buffalo Bills’ billionaire owner set to get $1B in public funds for new stadium

The billionaire owner of the Buffalo Bills appears poised to get a record amount of public funding for a new stadium in what critics are calling an unprecedented giveaway.
 

Gov. Kathy Hochul — a Buffalo native — is expected to announce in the next several days a deal in which New York State and Erie County agree to pay nearly $1 billion toward a new $1.4 billion stadium that will be located next to the current one, sources close to the situation told The Post.
 

That would be the most public money ever spent on building a US stadium, University of Michigan sports management professor Mark Rosentraub told The Post.
 

The proposal for public funding would be part of the New York budget that needs to be submitted by April 1 to the state Legislature. If it passes, the stadium, which would be designed by an architectural firm called Populous, would be open as soon as 2026.
 

</snip>

[Nanker]

It’s about time western NY  got it’s “ Fair Share” from the public trough. You’ve paid for decades into the pet projects of south eastern NY Dumocrats. They look now to the west for hitching their vainglorious hopes for relevancy now that their Jests and Jints are in the toilet. 
 

Drink up western New York! Drink up!

[IDBillzFan]

It's funny to me that the Buffalo area, and NY in general, consistently elect the most batshit crazy leftists to run their cities, counties and states, have the most ridiculous taxes and cost of living, and suddenly having residents pay for a football stadium is a bridge too far.

 

Nut up, folks. Elections have consequences.