Buffalo Bills Stadium Update: Still Some Obstacles to Clear
As the April Fool's Day deadline to submit the New York State budget looms for governor Kathy Hochul, funding for the Buffalo Bills' proposed new stadium remains a tricky political proposition.
The NFL's owners won't present a problem. They are expected to vote unanimously this week at the league meetings in West Palm Beach, Fla. to approve a $200 million loan for construction of a new outdoor venue, to be built adjacent to the Bills' exisiting facility, Highmark Stadium, in suburban Orchard Park.
The problem is going to be the pushback from some legislators who believe that billionaire owner Terry Pegula doesn't need to be subsidized by state and Erie County taxpayers to the tune of approximately $1 billion to cover most of the rest of the costs, limiting his out-of-pocket expense.
Welfare for the rich is not a popular subject these days, even among Republicans, a majority of whom don't even believe it is good for the poor.
Hochul, a lifelong Bills fan and the Democratic successor to Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace last year following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, faces a minefield of obstacles on an issue that likely will define the rest of her political career — or end it abruptly.
The New York Times has done a deep dive into the issue, and the story is required reading.
Hochul must balance her desire to keep the Bills from fleeing for some other area of the country — something they absolutely will do if they can't get substantial public funding — with a sensible bargaining approach in which she's not giving away more money than the Pegula family really needs to get this done.
"If she were seen as the person that let the Bills leave, then she’s probably got a shelf life,” assemblyman Patrick Burke, a Democrat from Buffalo whose district includes the Bills’ stadium, told the newspaper. “But if she’s also seen as someone who doesn’t drive a hard bargain and just gives away public dollars to billionaires, that’s going to be a problem for everyone, including me."
Public funding for the construction of stadiums has been happening in this country for decades, leaving taxpayers of their respective communities, most of whom are sports fans who don't want their local teams to leave, with a decision to make: Pay to keep them or face the consequences of a relocation, which has happened with three of the league's teams (Rams, Chargers, Raiders) in just the last six years alone.
Complicating the issue is that the proposed stadium won't be able to generate as much revenue as an indoor facility would because of the short springs and summers in Buffalo, limiting the events that can be held there during the offseason.
The Pegulas have said they won't renew their Highmark Stadium lease, which expires after this coming season, without a timely deal struck for a new stadium.
What it means is that the Bills could be out of Buffalo as soon as the 2023 season if an agreement isn't reached on a new stadium, which could be completed as soon as 2026.
Suffice to say that no matter what Hochul unveils in the coming days, some heated debates will follow.
With the clock ticking louder and seemingly faster by the minute.
So much to do. So little time.
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.
