Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Saying he doesn't want to risk the Buffalo Bills following the path of NFL teams in St. Louis, Oakland and San Diego, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz Wednesday dodged specific questions regarding the stadium and lease negotiations with the Buffalo Bills.
It is widely known that a deal on the terms between New York State, Erie County and the Bills is near and could be announced in the coming days.
When asked if the construction of a new stadium could be partially funded from American Rescue Plan funds, Poloncarz said, “We probably could, but we’re not," then went on to refer to recent reports that, he says, are based on pure speculation and inaccuracies.
Poloncarz would not offer specifics of what has been reported that may be inaccurate and simply said, "The truth will come out soon enough and we have a final, signed agreement and the terms of the transaction are announced to all."
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It has been widely reported a new stadium would carry a price tag of about $1.4 billion, with approximately 60 percent of the funding from public dollars.
Poloncarz said his goal throughout the process has been to negotiate a fair deal and keep the NFL team in Buffalo and promises the public will be fully informed of the terms of the agreement. "No one benefits from pure speculation or the spreading of false information," he said.
The lion's share of the negotiating is believed to be between the Bills and New York State, which would fund the majority of the project.
The Erie County Legislature would be charged with a final review and approval of the terms.