Plan to regionalize/stabilize the Buffalo Bills

[boondocksaint]

We all know the city and the Bills are looking to extend a lease agreement and part of that process is determining how much needed upgrades to the stadium will be paid.

Simple Solution...scrap the 200 million needed for renovations and build a new stadium for 1 billion dollars.

Here's my plan on how you make that work (this is just an outlined and most figures are just speculations):

The Buffalo Bills become the Buffalo/Niagara Bills (maybe the Buffalo/Ontario Bills)

The new stadium is funded through a partnership between NYS and Ontario. This will take some political posturing but it could work. The population of NYS is 19 million and the pop of Ontario is 13 million a huge tax pool. I don't think it would be too hard to show Ontario how much they'd benefit from that kind of stadium right across the border

The new stadium is built over looking Niagara Falls (on the American side, of course). This further regionalizes the team making it much easier for Canadian fans to attend (plus this is now partially their team). This also revitalizes Niagara Falls NY and boosts the Candian side of the falls (in many many ways).

The third part of my plan is casino revenue. I would work out a deal where all new casino profits (once the stadium is completed are split with NYS). So if the Seneca nation is making 100 million a year now (pretty accurate) and that increases to 150 million a year once the stadium is constructed 50% of the additional revenue goes to Niagara county/NYS. Over a 10 year agreement that is 250 million back to NYS. Plus NYS allows additional casinos as needed (no additional hotels)

1 billion to build stadium
250 million Ontario (maybe more?)
est 250 million through Seneca Nation (first 10 years)
that leaves 500 million (only 300 million more than the renevations will cost) - not sure what a team typically has to fund but that gets deducted from the 500 million. NYS tax payers get off cheap!

Other benefits:
toronto (5.5 million people) is now only 60 miles from new stadium (concerts, games, events, etc.)
increase in traffic to buffalo and niagara falls airport = increased tourism = more jobs
the region becomes a true destination for games/conventions, final fours, dare i say super bowl etc)
state of art stadium (retractable dome or whatever) a few hundred yards away from one of the true wonders of the world (falls) versus touch ups to the Ralph
indoor water parks, aquariums, new peace bridges, and other projects follow as the stadium becomes the anchor "store" bass pro could never be
10-20 blue jay games playe in NY every year????

WHATTYA THINK???????

[justRN]

We all know the city and the Bills are looking to extend a lease agreement and part of that process is determining how much needed upgrades to the stadium will be paid.

Simple Solution...scrap the 200 million needed for renovations and build a new stadium for 1 billion dollars.

Here's my plan on how you make that work (this is just an outlined and most figures are just speculations):

The Buffalo Bills become the Buffalo/Niagara Bills (maybe the Buffalo/Ontario Bills)

The new stadium is funded through a partnership between NYS and Ontario. This will take some political posturing but it could work. The population of NYS is 19 million and the pop of Ontario is 13 million a huge tax pool. I don't think it would be too hard to show Ontario how much they'd benefit from that kind of stadium right across the border

The new stadium is built over looking Niagara Falls (on the American side, of course). This further regionalizes the team making it much easier for Canadian fans to attend (plus this is now partially their team). This also revitalizes Niagara Falls NY and boosts the Candian side of the falls (in many many ways).

The third part of my plan is casino revenue. I would work out a deal where all new casino profits (once the stadium is completed are split with NYS). So if the Seneca nation is making 100 million a year now (pretty accurate) and that increases to 150 million a year once the stadium is constructed 50% of the additional revenue goes to Niagara county/NYS. Over a 10 year agreement that is 250 million back to NYS. Plus NYS allows additional casinos as needed (no additional hotels)

1 billion to build stadium
250 million Ontario (maybe more?)
est 250 million through Seneca Nation (first 10 years)
that leaves 500 million (only 300 million more than the renevations will cost) - not sure what a team typically has to fund but that gets deducted from the 500 million. NYS tax payers get off cheap!

Other benefits:
toronto (5.5 million people) is now only 60 miles from new stadium (concerts, games, events, etc.)
increase in traffic to buffalo and niagara falls airport = increased tourism = more jobs
the region becomes a true destination for games/conventions, final fours, dare i say super bowl etc)
state of art stadium (retractable dome or whatever) a few hundred yards away from one of the true wonders of the world (falls) versus touch ups to the Ralph
indoor water parks, aquariums, new peace bridges, and other projects follow as the stadium becomes the anchor "store" bass pro could never be
10-20 blue jay games playe in NY every year????

WHATTYA THINK???????

Honestly, I don't think that the Bills would need to go all out and get a Billion dollar stadium like Cowboys stadium or Lucas oil.

[Billsfootball1027]

We all know the city and the Bills are looking to extend a lease agreement and part of that process is determining how much needed upgrades to the stadium will be paid.

Simple Solution...scrap the 200 million needed for renovations and build a new stadium for 1 billion dollars.

Here's my plan on how you make that work (this is just an outlined and most figures are just speculations):

The Buffalo Bills become the Buffalo/Niagara Bills (maybe the Buffalo/Ontario Bills)

The new stadium is funded through a partnership between NYS and Ontario. This will take some political posturing but it could work. The population of NYS is 19 million and the pop of Ontario is 13 million a huge tax pool. I don't think it would be too hard to show Ontario how much they'd benefit from that kind of stadium right across the border

The new stadium is built over looking Niagara Falls (on the American side, of course). This further regionalizes the team making it much easier for Canadian fans to attend (plus this is now partially their team). This also revitalizes Niagara Falls NY and boosts the Candian side of the falls (in many many ways).

The third part of my plan is casino revenue. I would work out a deal where all new casino profits (once the stadium is completed are split with NYS). So if the Seneca nation is making 100 million a year now (pretty accurate) and that increases to 150 million a year once the stadium is constructed 50% of the additional revenue goes to Niagara county/NYS. Over a 10 year agreement that is 250 million back to NYS. Plus NYS allows additional casinos as needed (no additional hotels)

1 billion to build stadium
250 million Ontario (maybe more?)
est 250 million through Seneca Nation (first 10 years)
that leaves 500 million (only 300 million more than the renevations will cost) - not sure what a team typically has to fund but that gets deducted from the 500 million. NYS tax payers get off cheap!

Other benefits:
toronto (5.5 million people) is now only 60 miles from new stadium (concerts, games, events, etc.)
increase in traffic to buffalo and niagara falls airport = increased tourism = more jobs
the region becomes a true destination for games/conventions, final fours, dare i say super bowl etc)
state of art stadium (retractable dome or whatever) a few hundred yards away from one of the true wonders of the world (falls) versus touch ups to the Ralph
indoor water parks, aquariums, new peace bridges, and other projects follow as the stadium becomes the anchor "store" bass pro could never be
10-20 blue jay games playe in NY every year????

WHATTYA THINK???????

once i read: Stadium in Niagara Falls ..... i stopped reading. NF is a dump and gross. Bad idea and you must not be from around here.

[Neubs24]

I think you have never lived or worked in NF. There's no place to build it "overlooking" the falls first of all. Second, a busy holiday weekend or concert backs up traffic there bad enough, 70,000 football fans would be a disaster. Third, all that traffic funneling over Grand Island is another recipe for disaster. It doesnt take much to back those bridges up on a regular day.

[steptide]

once i read: Stadium in Niagara Falls ..... i stopped reading. NF is a dump and gross. Bad idea and you must not be from around here.

Cuz buffalo is a staple of beauty?

[boondocksaint]

Cuz buffalo is a staple of beauty?

I left buffalo a few years ago and, if anything, have a better perspective on how ridiculous upgrading a stadium in orchard park is. The nfl is in love with the l.a. Market based on the population and television ratings. Long term, the only way to make the franchise stable is to tap into the Ontario market, Toronto specifically. One game a year hasn't really worked so this would be a great option.

I'm not sure a stadium in buffalo is as good of an idea as a stadium in Niagara falls. The fact it's a dump makes it that much easier to build a stadium and parking lots.

There are probably better ideas out there but lack of forward thinking has held the region back for decades. Ub in amHearst open roof stadium in orchard park, no traffic on main street etc.

Build it in Niagara falls, fund it through ny state taxes, casino revenue, and a buy in from our friends in Canada.

The traffic concerns are silly, u can always get rid of the tolls in grand island, at least on game days and last I checked driving down southwestern was no picnic.

The city of buffalo has a population of 400k. Buffalonians aren't filling the Ralph. It's residents from Lackawanna, Amherst, Clarence, grand island too.

[mrbojanglezs]

Cuz buffalo is a staple of beauty?

compared to Niagara Falls it is. Niagara Falls is an absolute disgrace

[Neubs24]

The traffic concerns are silly, u can always get rid of the tolls in grand island, at least on game days and last I checked driving down southwestern was no picnic.

I drive to Niagara Falls for work. The concerns are not silly at all, they're highly accurate and based on experience. Do you really think the Thruway Authority would get rid of the tolls for a game day at $1 per car? HA! And Southwestern is the easiest way to get to the game. Before they shut down Abbott Road on game days, I used to have a clear ride up Southwestern right until you get to the stadium.

[The Hawk]

The "Cross the Border Bills" the first international team, with 2 games in Toronto and 6 somewhere with a new stadium. This would be a great way to promote the team. Sell the season tickets with the Toronto games included. Moves us out of the small market bracket once the Torontonians know that these Bills are their team too.

[BuffaloBillsFan1]

Not looking good

[Jdot]

As someone from Toronto and a converted Bills fan since the BB in TO series, Toronto wouldnt get fully into the Bills unless it was their own team and quite frankly it would not be the same atmosphere as in Buffalo even if there was more games. Many people from Ontario make the trip to the game and am always surprised how many canadians make the trek. I think regionaliziation is important but I dont think moving the stadium or a really brand new stadium would make much difference. This nonsense and freedom limiting terrorist crap we have to go through to cross doesnt help motivate people to cross.

The Skydome has had horrible atmosphere and its what prompted me to start making the trip to Buffalo and now Im a SSH. The Ralph is an awesome place to watch the match. I hope they dont change a thing and dont get this need for constant upgrades to increase my ticket prices. I love the feel of the place. Great sightlines.

Truly, the only thing to improve the Bills fortunes is winning. I think we are on that track currently. 2012 will be a big season.