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BUFFALO, NY – Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has dismissed speculation that the Buffalo Bills will move if a deal cannot be negotiated for public funds to pay for the construction of a new stadium.
Poloncarz, however, issued a warning on Wednesday saying the state and county would not write what he called “a blank check” to pay what is expected to cost at least $ 1 billion.
“We are going to make a deal,” he said, speaking at length on the stadium issue since negotiations began two months ago. “It just has to be a fair deal for all. “
Poloncarz did not go into details on the proposed cost of the project to replace the current Bills facility, which opened in 1973 and controlled by the state and county. He focused most of his comments on fears over the team’s potential move, which surfaced following a state of talks report in The Buffalo News on Sunday.
“I want the public to understand that no guns have been pointed at the Erie County and New York State Chief saying, ‘If you don’t do this, we’re moving,'” he said. -he declares. “I want people to understand that negotiations are a long process.… Negotiation takes time. It takes compromise on both sides.”
The Bills have opened talks after determining they need a new stadium near their existing facilities in suburban Buffalo, though a downtown facility has yet to be fully ruled out.
The Bills’ current lease expires in July 2023, and after the state and county committed $ 227 million for major renovations and annual capital and game day spending in 2013.
Further structural repairs and modern upgrades are needed, the cost of which in 2014 was estimated at $ 540 million.
The past lease was negotiated by Poloncarz and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and involved Bills Hall of Fame owner Ralph Wilson, who died in March 2014. This time, talks involve new owners Terry and Kim Pegula, who bought the Bills for a time An NFL record of $ 1.4 billion and also owns the NHL Buffalo Sabers.
The Pegulas are also seeking public funds to upgrade the downtown Sabers arena, but these discussions have been postponed and are separate from the Bills.
While it’s premature to discuss, the prospect of a Bills move isn’t entirely out of the question based on recent NFL history. The Raiders moved to Las Vegas last year after failing to secure enough public funds to build a free-standing football stadium in Oakland, Calif.
Similar issues have led the San Diego Chargers and St. Louis Rams to relocate to Los Angeles over the past decade.
Wilson, who founded the Bills in Buffalo in 1960 as part of the American Football League, was a longtime advocate against franchise relocation. He solidified that reputation by signing a strict no-relocation clause in the team’s last lease at a time when there were concerns that an outside buyer would buy the Bills and move them to Toronto.
Ongoing negotiations could become complicated due to Cuomo’s uncertain status as governor after the results of an investigation, released on Tuesday, revealed he had sexually harassed at least 11 women. If he ignored the many resignation calls, Cuomo could face impeachment proceedings.
Cuomo has argued for keeping the Bills in Buffalo in part because of the taxes they generate by being the only New York-based NFL franchise.
Supporters of the bills are encouraged to know that the next person in the running to replace Cuomo would be Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, from Buffalo.
Hochul said on Tuesday: “We do not feel threatened,” when asked if it was possible for the Bills to move.
“We are having conversations with the organization. We are going to get the result that this community needs,” she added.
Poloncarz, who called for Cuomo’s resignation, said the governor’s status should not have an immediate impact on the stadium talks because Cuomo was not directly involved in the talks, with the state being represented by legal and advisory teams.
“I think the players in place right now can still move forward regardless of what happens in Albany,” said Poloncarz, referring to the state capital. “If the governor is Kathy Hochul then, I know Kathy Hochul wants to make sure the Bills stay in Buffalo.”
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