New Waterfront Stadium

[BillyT92679]

Guess you're not one the people that can think big. Yep, it'd be a big investment but go big or go home. The area has incredible potential as a cultural and sports centerpiece, and don;t forget you bring Toronto into the mix.

I want a downtown stadium costing hundreds of millions of dollars. I want big.

But I want realistic and sensible. Not pollyannish. This area is long on big talk and no action.

[BillyT92679]

I live here. I see the capabilities of the area. I hate reading guys like Bruce Fisher who basically want Buffalo to embrace its inner Akron. I want growth.

But it's yeoman work to get anything done, so baby steps are needed.

How many "roads to nowhere" do we have here? The 990, the LaSalle Expressway, the Robert Moses, the 531 in Rochester, the Lake Ontario State Parkway, the 400, the 219, the Mile Strip Expressway that was supposed to connect to the LaSalle and be the Buffalo Outer Loop. All stub ends because the money dried up, the economy collapsed, and the demographic growth stopped or reversed. This is the land of the half-assed and half-cocked and it's ruined the region.

[galept]

I live here. I see the capabilities of the area. I hate reading guys like Bruce Fisher who basically want Buffalo to embrace its inner Akron. I want growth.

But it's yeoman work to get anything done, so baby steps are needed.

How many "roads to nowhere" do we have here? The 990, the LaSalle Expressway, the Robert Moses, the 531 in Rochester, the Lake Ontario State Parkway, the 400, the 219. All stub ends because the money dried up, the economy collapsed, and the demographic growth stopped or reversed. This is the land of the half-assed and half-cocked and it's ruined the region.

Baby steps are the only way that a situation this fragile can get better. We will continue to hear proposals on what to do with waterfront property downtown and most will continue to be voted down. But it all starts with one approval, backed with real funding. It's only a matter of time because I keep hearing good ideas from the area's citizens, elected officials, and businessmen alike.

[BillyT92679]

Baby steps are the only way that a situation this fragile can get better. We will continue to hear proposals on what to do with waterfront property downtown and most will continue to be voted down. But it all starts with one approval, backed with real funding. It's only a matter of time because I keep hearing good ideas from the area's citizens, elected officials, and businessmen alike.

Yep. There has to be a constant string of little victories. Have to prove to the state, and to the private sector that this area means business.

[Billsfootball1027]

This kind of thread has come up before, and in previous ones I've outlined something similar to your idea, but on a larger scale. Here would be my plan, and it would take actual guts by politicians on both sides of the border as well as suitable investment. My plan would be to make the Niagara region (including Toronto/Buffao/Niagara Falls) a worldwide tourist destination:

1. Build a retractable roof stadium in the center of Niagara Falls. I would use the Falls since it is more of a tourist destination and fits my overall plan better. Having it in the Falls allows better access to Canadian fans, and opens up more potential for use during the off-season.

2. Build up the harbor area of Buffalo, much like the Inner Harbor of Baltimore. Build a world class aquarium. Talk to Disney or Universal about a indoor theme park downtown. Have a hotel developer build a major downtown hotel there to attract cultural guests (such as those interested in architecture, etc) to attract visitors. Buffalo has great architecture, a world class art museum, a world class concert hall. Publicize these more, and make it a place people want to come to.

3. Build rapid transit (trains from Buffalo to the Falls, such that you get from both to downtown within 20 minutes. Connect these to the Southtowns for those interested in winter sports, hunting, etc. And a key point: make rapid transit extend from the Falls to Toronto, and from Buffalo to Toronto. This would take cooperation between Canadian and US//state governments, but could be done by people serious about making the region great.

So here's what I woulde envision for a person such as myself who now lives out of town but would come in to visit:

I fly in on a Friday, and my rapid transit from the airport takes me immediately to my hotel in Downtown Buffalo. That day I take in the aquarium with my kids, and then drop them at Grandma's. That evening my wife and I watch a play at Shea's, or we take the train to toronto to watch a show at the theater there and have dinner. We then come back and have an evening to ourselves while Mom plays with her grandkids.

Saturday morning we get the kids and we take the train to the Falls and spend time there, or we go the the Science Center in Toronto, or we check out Albright Knox. The hopefully Saturday night there's a Sabres game! Or maybe my family likes skiing and there's fresh powder at Kissing Bridge.

Sunday we head to the Bills game, fly out Sunday night. And we've had the time of our lives.

The Niagara region has virtually anything anyone would want in terms of a weekend getaway or vacation. Too bad there are no people with vision there.

I dont buy it ......

1) NF is not a TOURIST destination. Your on the wrong side of the border for that. The American side had a Casino / Hotel. A few restaurantes / chain hotels, and an ice cream shop .... thats about it! Its VERY run down and not very attractive place to go.

Keep the Bills in Buffalo. You realize players like having options of going out at night, shopping, or other stuff outside of football right?? NF doesnt provide that at all. VERY BAD IDEA FYI

2) Disney or Universal would do no such thing ..... a private investor would have to come up with an indoor waterpark and what not. So your dreaming.

Build up the waterfront: First they have to kill the skyway for anything to happen. That thing is an eye sore in a HALF. Then Yes you need some kind of entertainment. I say build a Fanuel hall type thing that Boston has. Its very do able and possible.

3) The mass transit system could work and is possible. wasnt the goverment or somebody thinking of doing that anyways?

[indybillsfan]

I dont buy it ......

1) NF is not a TOURIST destination. Your on the wrong side of the border for that. The American side had a Casino / Hotel. A few restaurantes / chain hotels, and an ice cream shop .... thats about it! Its VERY run down and not very attractive place to go.

Keep the Bills in Buffalo. You realize players like having options of going out at night, shopping, or other stuff outside of football right?? NF doesnt provide that at all. VERY BAD IDEA FYI

2) Disney or Universal would do no such thing ..... a private investor would have to come up with an indoor waterpark and what not. So your dreaming.

Build up the waterfront: First they have to kill the skyway for anything to happen. That thing is an eye sore in a HALF. Then Yes you need some kind of entertainment. I say build a Fanuel hall type thing that Boston has. Its very do able and possible.

3) The mass transit system could work and is possible. wasnt the goverment or somebody thinking of doing that anyways?

The focus on players having things to do is absurd, in that first the region isn't that big and they can live wherever they want, and second since a key part of my plan would be rapid transit they can go where they want quickly, including Toronto. Second, to say the Falls isn't a tourist destination, and only focus on the American side, is short sighted and iognores again the attraction a new stadium would have to bring people in, more concerts, etc, not to mention gambling, the Falls itself, etc. And obviously build more restaurants, etc in the area, which would ahppen with this kind of revitalization. I do agree the Skybridge needs to be removed, and then the harbor/lakeshore area completely restructured. The Fanueil Hall idea is good, I like the aquarium idea, or all the above. The key is to get things that attract more folks to the area.

You are focused only on Buffalo, I am focused on upgrading the entire Niagara Frontier region, from Toronto to the ski areas south of the city. I would say focusing on Buffalo alone is too myopic; have to think big to win.

[Billsfootball1027]

The focus on players having things to do is absurd, in that first the region isn't that big and they can live wherever they want, and second since a key part of my plan would be rapid transit they can go where they want quickly, including Toronto. Second, to say the Falls isn't a tourist destination, and only focus on the American side, is short sighted and iognores again the attraction a new stadium would have to bring people in, more concerts, etc, not to mention gambling, the Falls itself, etc. And obviously build more restaurants, etc in the area, which would ahppen with this kind of revitalization. I do agree the Skybridge needs to be removed, and then the harbor/lakeshore area completely restructured. The Fanueil Hall idea is good, I like the aquarium idea, or all the above. The key is to get things that attract more folks to the area.

You are focused only on Buffalo, I am focused on upgrading the entire Niagara Frontier region, from Toronto to the ski areas south of the city. I would say focusing on Buffalo
alone is too myopic; have to think big to win.

How is it absurd??? Mario Williams himself said "wanted to see what the area offered" OP has a mall, Movie theater, restaurantes and tons of stuff to do. Then a 10-15 min drive you can go to downtown buffalo where you have VERY nice place to go out to eat. Players absolutly care about where they live and what there is to do. I think your crazy not to think that. The players wives and familes have to live here too ....not just the players!

Next to your name it says you live in Indiana? is that correct? Well i still live in Buffalo and have been to the Falls many times on both sides. The American side literally HAS NOTHING TO DO! Yes the casino / hotel. But outside of that .... the chain hotels are pretty run down, theres a perkins, hardrock cafe, and not much else there to do. NF, Canada did it much better then the US side. So YES i would have to say NF, USA isnt that great of a tourist spot to visit.

Fanuel hall idea: i completely agree its a great idea.

[indybillsfan]

How is it absurd??? Mario Williams himself said "wanted to see what the area offered" OP has a mall, Movie theater, restaurantes and tons of stuff to do. Then a 10-15 min drive you can go to downtown buffalo where you have VERY nice place to go out to eat. Players absolutly care about where they live and what there is to do. I think your crazy not to think that. The players wives and familes have to live here too ....not just the players!

Next to your name it says you live in Indiana? is that correct? Well i still live in Buffalo and have been to the Falls many times on both sides. The American side literally HAS NOTHING TO DO! Yes the casino / hotel. But outside of that .... the chain hotels are pretty run down, theres a perkins, hardrock cafe, and not much else there to do. NF, Canada did it much better then the US side. So YES i would have to say NF, USA isnt that great of a tourist spot to visit.

Fanuel hall idea: i completely agree its a great idea.

I live in Indiana now but grew up in Tonawanda (Town, not city) and come back to visit often. No, there is nothing right now on the American side. You know why? Because first the Canadian side of the Falls is nicer to look at and second because $$ has been put into the Canadian side. Put the stadium on the American side, build the rapid transit that I've dscribed, linking the Falls to Buffalo and Toronto, and it would explode.

As for the players Williams said it best: he wants to see what the area offers. You need to expand your idea of what the area entails.

[galept]

I dont buy it ......

2) Disney or Universal would do no such thing ..... a private investor would have to come up with an indoor waterpark and what not. So your dreaming.

Build up the waterfront: First they have to kill the skyway for anything to happen. That thing is an eye sore in a HALF. Then Yes you need some kind of entertainment. I say build a Fanuel hall type thing that Boston has. Its very do able and possible.

I like your first and third points, but I have a problem with #2. It gets cold where I live around Washington DC during the winter, and yet Disney is building a massive hotel and convention center just south of one of the worst neighborhoods in the city--Anacostia. No water park, and yet they still found value in being there. Disney and/or Universal could potentially find a reason to invest in the Buffalo area.

[Billsfootball1027]

I like your first and third points, but I have a problem with #2. It gets cold where I live around Washington DC during the winter, and yet Disney is building a massive hotel and convention center just south of one of the worst neighborhoods in the city--Anacostia. No water park, and yet they still found value in being there. Disney and/or Universal could potentially find a reason to invest in the Buffalo area.

Interesting .....i honestly didnt know disney did that kind of stuff! But washington DC is more of a Tourist town or city (what ever you want to call it) then buffalo ever would be. I mean besides good amateur hockey here in Buffalo. What other reasons are there for coming here???

as for Indybillsfan: players would not want to go over the boarder to get dinner or have a night out! If you take out your transit system from Buffalo to Toronto. Plugging in the stadium and building businesses around it is a LONG project and requires more money then you could ever hope for. NF and the surrounding area would need a TON of work!

If you build the Stadium in downtown Buffalo ...... you already have that in place. Bars, restaurantes, hotels, and other stuff. Downtown Buffalo is way nicer then the Falls could ever be!

[LINDA_D]

I dont buy it ......

1) NF is not a TOURIST destination. Your on the wrong side of the border for that. The American side had a Casino / Hotel. A few restaurantes / chain hotels, and an ice cream shop .... thats about it! Its VERY run down and not very attractive place to go.

People come from all over the world to visit there, and it's NOT a tourist destination? Really? You are ignorant. The difference between the Canadian and American sides is that Ontario has invested in its side while New York has not, that includes both public and private dollars.

Build up the waterfront: First they have to kill the skyway for anything to happen. That thing is an eye sore in a HALF.

Right-o! Cut the direct link between Buffalo and the Northtowns with the Outer Harbor where you want to put a stadium. That will certainly help build up the Outer Harbor. Yes!

Then Yes you need some kind of entertainment. I say build a Fanuel hall type thing that Boston has. Its very do able and possible.

FTR, do you even know what Faneuil Hall is? It's an old restored building that is used like a small version of mall for crafters/small shopkeepers/resturants etc. It's NOT anything nearly big enough to have a serious economic impact on anything. It is NOT a performing space although sometimes street performers will put on performances in the adjacent square and then pass the hat.

Have you ever even been on Buffalo's Outer Harbor? I suspect that all the people advocating building a stadium there have never been, especially outside your cars in January. It's a nice spot ... if you're into survival training for a trip to Alaska's North Slope.

[BillyT92679]

People come from all over the world to visit there, and it's NOT a tourist destination? Really? You are ignorant. The difference between the Canadian and American sides is that Ontario has invested in its side while New York has not, that includes both public and private dollars.



Right-o! Cut the direct link between Buffalo and the Northtowns with the Outer Harbor where you want to put a stadium. That will certainly help build up the Outer Harbor. Yes!



FTR, do you even know what Faneuil Hall is? It's an old restored building that is used like a small version of mall for crafters/small shopkeepers/resturants etc. It's NOT anything nearly big enough to have a serious economic impact on anything. It is NOT a performing space although sometimes street performers will put on performances in the adjacent square and then pass the hat.

Have you ever even been on Buffalo's Outer Harbor? I suspect that all the people advocating building a stadium there have never been, especially outside your cars in January. It's a nice spot ... if you're into survival training for a trip to Alaska's North Slope.

I was there multiple times last week Linda. It is looking nicer and nicer by the day. You're selling it way, way, way too short.

And the Ralph isn't frigid or blustery in January? Wide open space, three miles from the lake. The coldest I remember ever being in Buffalo was at the Ralph.