A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about Dr. Ryan Miller, a young physician and lifetime Buffalo sports fan who had one especially passionate concern about the movement toward a new Buffalo Bills stadium:
Miller, an advocate for building the stadium in the city, felt any initiative that potentially involves spending at least $1.4 billion in taxpayer money mandates deep and widespread civic conversation about where the project should be located, and how it might be done in a way to elevate the larger community.
Sean Kirst: From all of WNY, dreams, doubts and visions about where a Bills stadium should go
He argued that Buffalo’s history contains far too many injurious choices, done without that kind of dialogue. Building on Miller’s point, I asked readers a fundamental question: Where do you think the stadium should go – if you believe a new stadium should go up at all?
The replies poured in. Calls for a stadium at a city location – while South Park Avenue and other sites near downtown were in the lead, the Central Terminal area also had a strong showing – were far more numerous than votes for a “new build” in Orchard Park, though many others were adamantly opposed to any public underwriting at all for a new sports facility.
Here are thoughts from readers, edited for brevity because of sheer volume, separated by general categories:
Downtown, or close to it
• Downtown. Get the Bills out of the woods and into the city. Pittsburgh and Cleveland are thriving with downtown major league stadiums. We could be like them. We could have a real stadium people would travel to see. Thank you for offering this chance to share feedback. But the answer is so obvious: Downtown.
California-based AECOM projects it will cost $1.354 billion to construct a new stadium on adjoining county-owned property in Orchard Park next to the team’s existing stadium, versus $862 million to renovate Highmark Stadium.
– Megan Landreth
• I believe that building a new stadium in Orchard Park would be a huge mistake. Fifty years ago, Buffalo lost a generational opportunity when the University at Buffalo went to Amherst (which may be one of the ugliest campuses in America) and the Bills went to Orchard Park.
For the sake of my grandkids, don't repeat this mistake! The plan to build the stadium and convention center on South Park makes sense, but only if the Metro Rail is extended down South Park and into Larkinville.
– Pete Starkey
• A new stadium project in the city would be transformative – a project that the city hasn't seen in 50 years.
– Marc McQuillen
• I’m OK with downtown, but no dome. I want a stadium similar to Miami or Seattle that would have most of the seats covered. Buffalo should play outdoors like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, the New York Giants and Jets, among other cold weather teams. We should also build a convention center next to the stadium, with a hotel. Make it an all-in-one location.
– Gaston Custer
• Downtown. Near the hockey arena. Retractable roof. Combination of public and private funding. Include light rail. Thanks for asking!
– Randy Jensen
I honestly don't care where the stadium is or who pays for it. My first preference, though, would be a downtown dome, if money were no object. A retractable dome would add $500 million to the cost and be a total waste of money. Who decides when the dome is open or closed? So forget that.
I assume the stadium will be open-air, and that's fine with me. If it is, I have one request, which I'm sure will be ignored by the people who think they're smart: natural grass, no artificial turf. The smart people think that's not feasible in our climate. Well, to them I say, "If it's good enough for Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and, more importantly, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Green Bay, Denver and Kansas City, it's good enough for Buffalo."
-Charlie Ellis
• Buffalo deserves the best stadium money can buy. It should be domed and it should be in downtown Buffalo. Let’s be smart in our decisions for a change.
The tax dollars will be spent whether we have the low budget stadium proposed or something we can truly be proud of.
– Bob Vezina
• Thoughts on the stadium: We are going to be investing a billion plus of public and private money into a new stadium – how does that tie into our city/region 20-year plan? Personally, I love the concepts of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and the SkyDome (Rogers Centre) in Toronto. Both are integrated in with the downtown areas, have spurred additional surrounding investments and lure other events that draw big crowds of people to their areas, they are also multi-season venues. We might also consider megatrends that would put us out in front of future designs – climate change, transportation changes – EV and autonomous vehicles, social equality, etc.
– Matt Smith
Buffalo Bills defender Bruce Smith sacks Oakland Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler in the AFC divisional playoff game at Rich Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 15, 1994.
• I vote for building in the city of Buffalo. The project should be massive and inclusive to build up Buffalo ecomonically and socially. The proposed site should include a stadium, and large convention center, hotel(s), year round commerce sites (shops, restaurants, social outlets, etc.), green space, and living space (homes, condos, apartments). It’s a big price tag but you are building for the future. I remember living in Ft. Wayne, Ind. when the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis. Before the Colts arrived, the city fathers said "build it and someone will come”. Indianapolis built a NFL stadium a NBA facility converted an old train station, built hotels and guess what ... somebodies came. Buffalo needs to think beyond a stadium only project.
-Bill Ransom
It is time for us to start making decisions as a community that lay the groundwork for our enduring vitality, not as hostages who are simply grateful that the Pegulas are keeping the team in the area. A strong WNY needs a strong Buffalo, and a strong Buffalo needs a strong downtown. And for the sake of its long-term growth, the city needs the sort of infrastructure investments a stadium would require regardless of whether there is a stadium there. So build the stadium downtown, make the investments, and start to get over the inferiority complex that is only holding us back.
-Kevin Deese
• Here’s what I think about the proposed stadium. I am not a fan of spending a lot of public money for a stadium, but politically we probably have to do it. That being the case, let’s do it right and build it downtown with all the synergies that come with that location. The OP location is typical Western New York small thinking.
– Michael DeWitt
It should be built in Buffalo in the South Park/Louisiana area. It needs to have a fixed or retractable roof. It needs to generate a year-round revenue stream by using it also as a convention center or multi-sports center.
– Tamara Yekich
• I have a friend who is a season ticket holder but has trouble getting to the games because of a lack of public transportation sites near the Orchard Park facility. He may give up his seats.
Build it in Buffalo, near available public transportation. Fan-friendly and carbon neutral. Let's do our part to save the planet, Mr. and Mrs. Pegula.
– Tom Steffan
• I agree with Dr. Miller. The stadium should go downtown, if not at the South Park site then at the old steel plant area. Where it is now was a hurry-up option when built in 1972. Let’s not make the same mistake: Think long term for the big $$$. In 20 years, it will look like a bargain. Also, no roof would be another stupid mistake. We are in the snow belt!
– Mark S. Zak
• Spending public money on a new (domed) stadium is justified if the stadium delivers benefits to the community beyond football.
The South Park site does that and more. Pegula Sports Entertainment must also contribute its fair share money to the project, 50% plus. I look forward to reading the state’s study and I’m hopeful South Park will emerge as the best alternative.
Jim Kelly celebrates during the AFC title game on Jan. 20, 1991 at then-Rich Stadium, when the Bills beat the Los Angeles Raiders 51-3 to move on to Super Bowl XXV.
– Paula M. Blanchard
• I support putting the stadium downtown.
Pros – It will help restaurants and bars in the city and bring people into the city which keeps it alive outside of the business day.
Cons (using Pittsburgh as an example) – There’ll be no tailgating like we currently have, no bar action for 1 p.m. games because of New York state Blue laws on not serving liquor before noon on Sundays, and the subway and expressways would need to be reconfigured and expanded.
– Bob Patterson
• Downtown stadium with a dome!
Maybe we should ask the Seneca Nation if they could get behind this? They have a huge investment in downtown that would also benefit.
– Jim Delmar
• My thoughts on a new stadium: Downtown. Retractable dome, including a Convention Center. South Park site.
– Joe Zappo
• I am a current season-ticket holder and I think the new Bills stadium should be downtown around where the empty Perry projects are located. That land area is huge and should be enough to build a new stadium and have enough surface parking areas for tailgating.
To me, the most important aspects of a new stadium are that there are tailgate areas nearby to keep the tailgate experience and that the new stadium has a retractable roof. The only people who want an open-air stadium are people who watch the games on TV and don’t sit out in the rain and snow.
The money Western New York will get from the infrastructure bill can be used to help pay for the infrastructure required for the new stadium.
Go Bills … downtown.
Fans bid farewell to the Rockpile at the Bills' final game in War Memorial Stadium in 1972.
– Susan M. Maher
• A stadium downtown will positively affect ALL of Buffalo, not just the fans and owners. If we the citizens are expected to contribute to this venture, then we the citizens must all benefit. This should not even be a debate.
– Rachel Beerman
• There is no doubt in my mind that the new stadium should be built downtown, even if it will cost a billion dollars more than in Orchard Park, where we have had a "white elephant" for too many years. The Pegulas need to start thinking BIG and realize that they are now true ambassadors to the City of Buffalo; therefore, they should do as much as they possibly can to not only keep the Bills in Western New York but help promote the growth of Buffalo as a whole.
The stadium is a no-brainer to be located downtown! It also must have a retractable roof so it may be utilized during all four seasons of the year, and not just during the fall. The idea of a new convention center located adjacent to the stadium is also a wise idea. ... Please do not throw boulders on the perimeter of the stadium's exterior as someone did several years ago in Orchard Park. It looks like a very unkempt and disjointed area outside Highmark Stadium, and reminds me of a youngster getting upset and throwing his or her toys around the bedroom in a tantrum with no intention of ever tidying up. So I vote for a boulder-free stadium in beautiful downtown Buffalo (and the public should not pay any more than half of the cost)!
– Jim Antes
• I am so for a stadium downtown even with its additional costs because of infrastructure. That alone makes it worth it. We want downtown to be dynamic. If you add concerts to the football games, just think of the trickle-down of business ... hotel space the night before the game, restaurants, taxis, touring, food purchases in a grocery store, movie theater or plays the night before the game and drinks in bars!
The only thing you get in Orchard Park is people using their lawns as parking lots and a few Orchard Park restaurants getting some business!
– Judie Calleri
• Yes, the new Bills stadium should be built in downtown Buffalo. There is a site in downtown that is the most cost effective and would bring more vitality to the city center than the others: This site is bounded by Michigan, Seneca, South Division and a point west of Chicago Street.
This site is about 80% vacant; there is a substantial amount of surface parking and parking structures; it is close to the center of public transit, including the light rail line; it is close to other attractions – Canalside and the Cobblestone District; and its surrounding area is filled with bars and restaurants.
– Eve Kowalewski
• I am decidedly of two minds about using public funds, or a majority of public funds, to build a stadium at all, but I am adamantly opposed to using the money for a stadium anywhere but the City of Buffalo/downtown.
Former Buffalo Bill Reggie McKenzie fires up the crowd after he and Fred Smerlas were honored prior to a 1999 game.
If the stadium is not built in Buffalo, very few will get anything out of a HUGE payoff of public funds to the ownership of the Bills – except the owners and the NFL as a whole. And I use the word “payoff” deliberately.
People are so afraid of losing this team that sometimes I think a majority of them would agree to give the owners their 401(k)s and their backyards in which to build a stadium. I don’t hear or read about discussions on cui bono, which – as Dr. Miller pointed out – should be leading the process. I personally believe almost all the peripheral benefits, all the other activities that could come out of a seasonless (or at least three-season) stadium, would come from a city location.
– Claudia Staines
• When I first heard about the stadium rebuild, I wondered why a location closer to downtown was not investigated. There are MANY pockets of land available especially the former Perry Projects eyesore, that would provide the necessary space, driveable, public transportation and train stops!
Buffalo could join the other 16 NFL teams where stadiums are in the center of town. Think of the money shop and restaurant owners could realize. Add a roof and we could host a Super Bowl!!
– Carol Murphy
• Taxpayer money = taxpayer input. Downtown build costs more than an OP build. If downtown, then extra money deserves long-term infrastructure improvements. South Park site has ZERO appeal and max disruption. Almost ZERO other sites.
BEST site = Ohio Street: three (commercial/industrial) properties and railroad yard to the East. Enough for stadium proper. Enough vacant lots nearby. Needs following infrastructure:
Butch Byrd, a Buffalo Bills defensive back, intercepts New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath on Sept. 29, 1968, in the Bills' 37-35 victory at the old War Memorial Stadium, in Buffalo.
Build alternate Route 5. Fill 2,000 feet of the ship canal. Re-route railroad tracks for Ganson Street. Light rail over Michigan bridge to stadium from DL&W (use public transport). Light rail to Bethlehem Steel parking lots. Keep the Skyway for now.
Ohio Street site has outstanding visual appeal: The river, Lake Erie, grain elevators, Outer Harbor, Canalside, downtown, etc. Would be best venue in NFL. Period. Think big!
– Jim Rudnicki
• Considering the substantial trend of development and revitalization of the downtown area over the last decade, I think a new stadium anywhere BUT downtown would be tragic. What an amazing capstone it would be, on all the hard work and investment, that has gone into making our waterfront great!
The special relationship between several different generations of fathers and sons is brought together through a common thread – the Buffalo Bills.
– Robyn Jobity
• Full disclosure. I don’t live in Buffalo anymore. I 100% support a downtown stadium at the South Park site. Buffalo needs an iconic addition to the downtown landscape. It could also attract other events if done right. I’d also build a new convention center adjacent to the stadium.
Taxpayers should foot some of the bill. Losing the Bills would be more devastating in the long run.
If something had changed last week in that Cleveland-Kansas City showdown so that Cleveland ended up at Bills Stadium for the AFC title game, Bart Stancampiano had planned on being in the seats.
– Michael Dorr
• Two things about the stadium:
- It must pave a way to the future.
- It can't be on the fringe.
Why?
Because a stadium is at the center of things, a gathering place to witness excellence – achievements that are the very finest we can do. The stadium identifies wherever it is located. More than most buildings, it will stand for Metro Buffalo. What comes to surround it is an important though hidden promise. We should have fine ground to build upon its shoulders. The stadium should not stand alone. It should establish a sight-line for tomorrow.
– Anthony Bannon
While always being an advocate to keep the stadium in OP, my thoughts continue to evolve.
I was a lifelong WNY until retiring to Florida 3 1/2 years ago. I still enjoy coming up for games periodically.
Unless ownership wants to fund the new stadium like Kraft did in New England, I’m leaning now toward downtown. With taxpayer funding, it’s tough to justify spending $1.4 billion in OP ... Public monies, even with a higher upfront cost will be more beneficial to the greater Buffalo market with the stadium downtown. Hopefully there will be a way to combine RV and tailgating into the downtown area while supporting hotels, restaurants etc.
-Dick Heidrick
It's got to be OP
• I truly believe the Bills stadium belongs in Orchard Park. The city has other venues like the convention center, baseball stadium and hockey/concert arenas to capture revenue.
– Arline Engasser
• Let the NFL and the Pegulas pay for it ... Keep it in Orchard Park and let the fans enjoy tailgating.
– Susan Udin
• The stadium should remain in Orchard Park with the team picking up 50% of the cost. Why? Because:
1) Erie County already owns the Orchard Park property.
2) Locating the stadium in city would be bad since it would: Use up valuable city real estate, add to acquisition costs and be empty most of the year, creating a "dead zone" around its footprint.
Transportation concerns by fans traveling from the city to Orchard Park are valid and any Orchard Park stadium agreement should include promise of shuttle service from city to Orchard Park. I remember the NFTA providing this service years ago for a nominal fee.
– Don Houck
• I believe the stadium should stay and be built in Orchard Park next to the old one. But I think it should have a retractable dome or roof so it could be used year-round for concerts, basketball or whatever.
– BJ Campbell
• The most reasonable decision in my opinion is building in Orchard Park with a variety of funding. 20%-30% from the Pegulas; 5%-10% selling PSLs and suites; remaining from state and Erie County. City build requires too much infrastructure improvement and limits tailgating. Orchard Park is already familiar to fans and it keeps the Bills next to their headquarters and practice areas.
The Bills "are the one good thing everyone can get behind,” said Rich Sajecki, who will be watching Saturday's game with fellow residents at Father Baker Manor in Orchard Park.
– Michael Wiktor
The Old First Ward is an historic neighborhood and is not part of downtown. The stadium would destroy our close-knit neighborhood. It would also destroy homes and businesses. Families have been here for generations.
Keep the stadium in Orchard Park.
-Erin Davison
• I am for the lowest-cost possible since we will be paying for some of it no matter how you slice it ... PSLs, ticket cost increases, local taxes and state taxes will fund whatever gets built to some degree.
Orchard Park has space and the rest of the Bills infrastructure (practice facility, store, etc.) along with the highway infrastructure as well. So why re-create the wheel?
–Jeffrey Johnson
• I am 100% for a new stadium in Orchard Park. I think it is almost a done deal to move across Abbott Road, and all the chatter is “noise” generated by pro-downtown people in one last gasp to get their way. For me it’s all about the game-day ambiance, which is markedly different downtown. There are not as many downtown stadiums as people think. You need 80 dates a year or so to make them profitable, and Buffalo could never do that.
– Ken “Pinto Ron” Johnson
• In my opinion the new stadium should stay in Orchard Park. Main reason: tailgating! Orchard Park can provide the extra room for something that is almost as important as the game. This includes pre-game, post-game and RV partying. I also feel the stadium should be more available for concerts or other appropriate large outdoor events.
– Gordy Glose
• Keeping the stadium in Orchard Park (rather than building in the Old First Ward) makes the most sense to me because the infrastructure in that area is already built to support a high volume of people at any singular time, the roads are wider, the pipes and plumbing are likely newer than what they are in the Ward, and they have already been standing the test of the volume they would be seeing even if it was at a location a block over. The residents are already used to the stadium traffic, and there would be really no loss of vital community assets like medical facilities, grocery stores and gas stations with it being built in Orchard Park.
– Brittany Healy
None of the above
• I like the Central Terminal (location) idea. It would be a shame if Buffalo lost that piece of its identity.
This is an opportunity to build a stadium central to the region, close to the downtown. It would utilize current mass transit and foster future growth of a quality transit system. And it would save the Central Terminal for future generations.
– James Norton
• Hey there - If NYC can spend $1.6 billion on a new Moynihan train station that doesn’t even give full service, can’t we use the new infrastructure funds to build a new stadium by the Central Terminal? There seems to be lots of open land and the potential to connect to downtown through a renovated terminal is limitless.
– Lisa Gantress
• I grew up in Lockport and I’ve always been a Bills fan, but I think the time has come to move them out of Orchard Park. It’s not the most easily accessible place. The Bills are the only true New York football team and it should be more accessible to a bigger population of New Yorkers! Orchard Park seems closer to Pennsylvania than most of New York State and those Pennsylvania Steelers fans are not going to a Bills game! They should probably consider a town close to an exit off 90 with lots of available land – maybe Pembroke/Medina exit/area?
–Jennifer Queri
• What did Las Vegas do?
A third of the money came from the state of Nevada, A third came from the Raiders, and a third comes from a bond to be paid from the receipts of a percentage of every hotel reservation, a percentage of all restaurants and ticket sales from the stadium.
Quick thought:
A stadium in downtown Niagara Falls.
New York State pays 50% as they use tourism money in the state budget. A major convention center is included in the new covered stadium, while 30% comes from the Pegula group and 20% from Niagara County.
– Frank Ricchiazzi
How about near the Old Summit Park mall? Good Infrastructure, plenty of parking and great egresses (LaSalle Expressway, Niagara Falls Boulevard, the 190, River Road). Much easier for Southern Ontario and Rochester fans to reach, lots of room for tailgating. And much better weather - still snows, "winter wonderland" and all, but without getting stuck.
-Duane Hertel
• I am writing to you in regard to the building site for a new Buffalo Bills Stadium. I agree that if they build a new stadium it should be larger than a 60,000 person capacity and it should be located inside the city. However, I believe it should be located at the Central Terminal site on the East Side of Buffalo, which has been bypassed in all the resurgence plans we have seen and seems to be looking the same way in the future.
Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones performed at then-Rich Stadium in 1978. (News file photo)
It has been said repeatedly that the terminal is too large for any reasonable use. I disagree, as it could house the Bills management offices, a hotel and an international market. The railway system could be rejuvenated and bring fans from Canada, Rochester, Syracuse – not to mention suburban residents.
There also is an old rail system that surrounds the city. It too could be rejuvenated and bring the city residents to the site as well as be used as an alternative to city vehicles whose drivers would be looking for parking in the city.
I believe that much more thought and suggestions need to be heard before we make any decisions that will greatly impact us all.
Joan Hoak and her daughter, Donna, are emblematic of a fan base that has managed to keep a National Football League franchise here when teams and owners have deserted much larger American
– Sharon DePerro
• I totally agree with Paul Ciminelli that the Central Terminal site on Broadway is the ideal location for a new Bills stadium. For all the reasons he’s stated in his (Buffalo Rising) article and how such a project would produce an economic boon for our cut-off and neglected East Side of Buffalo. Thanks for asking for the public’s opinions and suggestions.
– Linda Hardie
Other things to consider
• I moved away from Buffalo 30 years ago but in a way it is still home. I was around for the dome stadium scandal and the ridiculous decision to put an open stadium in the snowbelt part of the county.
I think regardless of where it is built it should benefit the entire community, not just those that have the funds to attend a game. How it gets used should be up to Erie County, not the team. The Bills get to use it for their games; the rest of the time should be local use, concerts, special events, etc.
– Roger Krieger
Jubilant fans pull down the goal posts when the place was still called Rich Stadium.
• The American public has invested a great deal of money into stadiums, mostly under duress of losing their NFL franchise. In the early years of the NFL, financial help was needed to get them going.
Personally, I am very much opposed to corporate welfare. The NFL is a billion-dollar business and should build its own stadiums. Corporate welfare is un-American! Welfare is a dirty word in this society except for corporations. Tesla would be a good example. What happened to capitalism?
The proper method of financing the stadiums is to have the NFL go public. I am sure this would generate the necessary funds to build stadiums. This would also bring some sense into player salaries and profit margins. If the NFL can pay players a quarter of a billion dollars, why can’t it build a billion-dollar stadium?
– Stan Watorek
The famous "Snovertime" game between the Bills and Colts, 2017.
• First, I would totally favor an open-air stadium with the talked-about idea of an overhang or awning over the seating areas that would shield fans from the elements, similar to stadiums in Miami and Seattle. Preferring Buffalo football outside, this is a better compromise than the idea of building a much more costly and frankly sterile dome or retractable dome.
A stadium overhang-awning in Buffalo, however, couldn’t be flat (like Miami’s) – it would definitely have to be slanted to help slide off and prevent accumulation of any snow late in the season.
I admit to still having a soft spot for the current old Buffalo stadium, which I still call Rich Stadium. I reluctantly and sadly agree because of its age and reported long term structural assessment, Buffalo needs a new football stadium. As a Buffalo Bills fan, I admit to having been spoiled by the old stadium’s amazing sight lines, the incredible closeness to the field, its overall intimate feel and aura that I will frankly miss. I just hope these attributes will be very much part of the overall design of this heir-apparent stadium that will take over as the home for Buffalo Bills football.
– Marcus Costello
Until 40 years ago this month, Buffalo had seemed a baseball graveyard, but a team finally returned in an against-the-odds way, says Sean
• Regardless of where the stadium is built, I think it’s important to take a moment to ponder the massive investment the structure will be for the community. Personally, it’s very easy to envision the stadium going in Orchard Park since the game-day infrastructure already exists. But yet, a downtown location is intriguing …
If downtown was chosen, then the investment needs to be increased exponentially. Aside from the stadium, you are talking roads, bridges, parking, mass transit, retail, bars, restaurants, etc. And you can’t cut corners. Many people take for granted how “easy” it is getting in and out of Orchard Park compared to similar downtown stadiums.
Regardless of location, but even more importantly if it’s downtown, I would also hope that the stadium is part of a larger convention and entertainment plan.
– Nick Schmitt
• A covered stadium would ruin the game-day experience we enjoy now. Tailgating at Bills games is a tradition because the fans are dressed to spend the day outside. Ever notice how much tailgating there is at Sabres games? None. The crowd is dressed to be indoors for the night. Not only that, the elements are a part of the game, part of the strategy. Most die-hard Bills fans would have it no other way.
–Mike Lyons
They missed this boat (48 years) ago, all for the sake of ”urban renewal,“ which destroyed the stable neighborhoods and the Humboldt Parkway! ... That move cost us the revitalization of downtown and wasted many years! Maybe they’ll get it right this time!
– Patricia Tucker
• A few months ago the response to the Bills’ demand for a new stadium was met with a, “Hold on! No such guarantee!” response. All of a sudden, we’re arguing about where to put it. We need to put on the brakes and not be rushed into anything. Rushing into things made the cost of Rich Stadium go up an extra $53 million because of a lawsuit brought by a promoter who was to build a stadium in Lancaster.
– Jim Castiglione
• Can the new open-air facility host more than professional football and rock concerts? More than Section VI football? Should soccer and track be considered? Should D1 football share use? Can real game-day bus or train routes bring people people from north, south and east? Can mandated bleacher seat-type pricing hold down ticket prices for those fans without the bigger sports budgets? What community shall we include in the discussion?
A Bills fan since the late 1970s: I want to be a fan of the next Bills stadium.
– Mark Stollberg
• I second Miller – if we’re building a new stadium, it needs to have a broader impact that goes beyond football. First, a requirement must be improvements to our public transit in Buffalo and the Western New York region. We need to move beyond car-centric infrastructure and having thousands flowing into the city (or Orchard Park) should be facilitated by mass public transit, which is greener, fairer and less congested.
Second, if the current stadium is to be decommissioned, we need to find responsible ways of reusing the materials, etc. that currently make it up. Finally, any efforts to build a stadium in Buffalo need to ensure that current residents are not displaced from their homes.
– Jessica Gilbert
• I don't live and die by the Bills but, in my opinion, asking for gargantuan amounts of tax money to fund a billionaire’s game is unconscionable. New York State taxes are extremely high by national standards already. The Pegulas funding their portion by selling seat licenses is actually an insult to loyal game-going fans.
Frank Reich in the great playoff comeback against the Oilers, in then-Rich Stadium.
Building a new stadium in Orchard Park makes little sense since there is already one there, with all the power, water and sewer infrastructure in place. Therefore, revising the existing stadium makes the most sense to lessen the financial burden of the already overburdened tax base.
– Curt Taylor
• I believe it should be built in the city, not in Orchard Park or any other suburb. If city residents are asked to pay for part of the cost, they should be the recipients of economic benefits created by a new stadium.
In 2006, urban-planning expert Diana Dillaway (a member of the Wendt family) wrote a book called “Power Failure,” which argued persuasively that Buffalo made a huge mistake by locating the Bills’ current stadium outside of Buffalo. The book was published by former Buffalo publisher Prometheus Books (where I worked before retirement). I hope the powers that be don’t make this same mistake again.
– Mark G. Hall
• I, too, am a former Republic Steel employee whose father was also a security guard at the South Park Avenue and I was moved by Hal Miller's story.
I have also been a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan but I CANNOT see spending any public funds on a new stadium under ANY circumstances for any location for the Buffalo Bills. This venture would not guarantee any specific return on investment other than some part-time jobs for locals, many vacant dates, continued possibility that the team could move anyway (i.e., St. Louis Rams), and like in 2003, UPGRADES at more cost to the local citizens.
– Shawn Clark
• My father owned a business on Main and Exchange streets for over 50 years, along with many other businesses that had been there also for many years. They were part of the fabric of the shipping industry in Buffalo New York. Their businesses had been dramatically impacted when shipping stopped in the Port of Buffalo as a result of the 1954 opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
To a person, these small businessmen and a few women thought a football stadium would fix the decline of the City of Buffalo.
U2 at then-New Era Field, 2017.
– Marina Galletta Woolcock
• Issue: The Pegulas do not want to personally contribute more money for a downtown stadium than their $1.4B suburban plan.
Solution: Include an “Above and Beyond” clause in the lease. If the Pegulas sell during the term of the lease, the new owner will reimburse them “above and beyond” the price of the team for their increased downtown construction contribution. This number will be cemented in the lease as the delta between what they would have personally contributed (not fan PSLs) for the suburban site versus a downtown site. Contribution transparency with their $1.4B suburban plan is required.
– Ken Lehner
• The Bills don’t actually need a new facility, in my opinion. The way that the NFL forces teams/cities into building new facilities (at taxpayer expense) is nothing short of corporate extortion.
– Paul Graves
• I'll be brief: NO PUBLIC MONEY! The NFL generates billions of dollars in profits. All the team owners are billionaires. If the league decides Buffalo needs a new stadium, let them pay for it. They can rent it out for concerts, etc. as they please. I think we should not collect property taxes and should help with maintenance and infrastructure but beside that – ZERO! Anytime public money is used, it becomes misused and this talk about "vast economic benefits" is just BS.
– John Lipani
• I’m not really a football fan, (guys living in misery and pain post-football for our entertainment?) but I live in Buffalo, and I tend to agree with those who say: Think broadly.
I support a stadium in Buffalo because I do think it will help unify the city. There was a letter to the editor that made a strong case for it, recommending that other events take place there for the community (especially if the community is paying part of the bill) such as other sporting events (Olympic trials, etc.) and yes, the large music concerts (think Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, etc.). I know the cost is more, but hey – maybe Mr. Jemal will kick in some financial support!
And reimburse those who will lose their homes … reimburse with new homes.
The Bills at then-Rich Stadium, great comeback of 1993.
– Marie Friedlander
• I’m tired of being economically squeezed. If the Pegulas want a new stadium, they and the NFL can pay for it (both are beyond wealthy).
How the Pegulas can pay their share: Their vast personal wealth, sell the Sabres and use the $350+ millions they get, sell PSLs, naming and suite rights and stadium bonds with investors making interest based on projected future earnings.
– Joe Foegen
• I believe people would be more receptive to a new stadium if it had a retractable dome, allowing its use for activities/events other than just Bills home games. Design and build a facility that will be used year-round and one that can accommodate a variety of sports, sports tournaments as well as concerts, etc. The payoff through additional visitors/tourism to Buffalo will make it worthwhile.
– Carolyn Bills (as Carolyn likes to note, truly her name)
• Since Erie County owns the stadium and property surrounding same, I have not read any data on income generated from stadium rental, parking fee revenue or other revenue streams from the property. Also, I’ve not read any info lately about cost to Erie County other than regular maintenance annually.
My position is that the billionaire owner should pay the majority of the cost for a new facility. The value of the team is not in the stadium, but in the franchise. And to have a check for $321 million this year from the TV contract should help to close the gap.
Way too much money for a stadium … and as I read the Buffalo News, it almost sounds like a done deal.
– Gary Skoog
• The location (of the South Park Avenue proposal) is NOT downtown – you can see that by looking at the renderings – there are residential homes quite literally in the backyard of the stadium. The correct name of the proposed location is the Old First Ward – a quiet, small and quaint neighborhood that goes back generations filled with rich history and family ties. These businesses would be demolished and years of hard, honest work would go down the drain – not to mention the thousands of residents who will be displaced. Think of it this way – putting the “downtown” stadium in the Old First Ward is as logical and makes as much sense as putting it in Allentown, the Elmwood Village or Black Rock. I am not opposed to the stadium being built in Buffalo, but it needs a location that will not dismantle our neighborhoods.
– Brittany Slomba
• There are plenty of site options being thrown around; we can score a win and use innovation and inspiration to spawn more growth in businesses that would cater to the fans and potentially incorporate other attractions around the site. The BUFFALO Bills should play in their namesake city: I hope the NFL and the state can hear us SHOUT about it!
– Leah Gallagher
• I oppose this in downtown AND anywhere else. There's already a stadium, and it can be repaired if it doesn't work as is.
My reason for opposition can be summarized simply: We need a living planet for future generations, and we cannot have both a new stadium and a living planet. I have excerpted evidence from climate scientists stating that, "World is failing to make changes needed to avoid climate breakdown, report finds" ... "Pace of emissions reductions must be increased significantly to keep global heating to 1.5C ..."
– Roxanne Amico
• Let the teams/owners cough up the cash. I would like to see the actual benefits of the Bills being here … who pays for security/utilities? They will be getting $321 million yearly in the new television contract.
Myself and A LOT of others do not go to games, or rabidly follow the team. It would not hurt my feelings to watch the Toronto Bills in 2024. May consider not paying my taxes if they force the issue. Have Pegula drill another well, as he stated when he bought the team.
– Gregory Rebisz
• If a new stadium is to benefit everyone in Western New York, it must be a catalyst that spurs economic and cultural developments! That means it must include components that affect development of infrastructure (eg. light rail, street reconfiguration, etc.) Also stimulate renewed housing downtown (not just upper class apartments!).
The new stadium and its environs must be a cultural and entertainment focus as well as a retail and hospitality venue! In short, it must help encourage and stimulate further investment that will have a ripple effect for the city and all of Western New York.
Shalom!
– Rev. Pat Ipolito (retired)
• I do not feel I should have to pay for a new stadium for others’ entertainment or to increase the wealth of the Pegulas. Like many others in Erie County, I can’t afford tickets as it is, let alone a bottle of water or parking.
And when some claim that there would be benefits if a new stadium was built downtown, that’s BS and we all know it. If Erie County is going to spend our tax dollars, they should be spent on far worthier causes like food and housing for people who can’t afford even those true necessities.
– Lisa Sherman
• We do NOT need a new stadium. I have NEVER visited the stadium. My four adult children have attended a concert there, NO football games. No public money to be spent on a new stadium. If the owners don’t want to invest their monies, why should the citizens? Two of my children have moved out of Erie County because of the taxes. Why should Erie County subsidize the football owners? They should pay for the stadium themselves.
– JoAnn Simano
I live in East Aurora and drive by Highmark Stadium frequently on Route 20A. Looking at the area around the stadium there are no obvious "civic benefits" to be seen near it, nor many or any "new businesses" have set up camp there either.
Put the stadium where it will do more good.
– Judy Pastore
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I disagree that this area needs a new stadium. Has there ever been so much made about something so insignificant as pro football? Please tell the Pegulas they can take the Bills and leave town. They can also take the Sabres with them.
If a new stadium is built, let the millionaires pay for it.
- Don Sutter
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We need a dome stadium to be used year-round. Then maybe we will get a Super Bowl, all-star game etc. How about soccer, high school playoffs, marching band competitions, concerts, Wing fest, Italian Fest, whatever fest ... 60,000 seats is BS.
Location: Remember a couple years ago when the baseball park let out and KeyBank Center let out, people had to wait two hours to even move? ... it leaves the best place as Orchard Park and build it right with a dome.
So much more can be done. I am 70 years old and on a very limited budget ... DO IT RIGHT. Build it like no other stadium with a train station, connecting hotels etc.
I’m sorry, I can rattle on. I lived here all my life. Thank you.
- John Deinhart