Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Long overdue, downtown Buffalo's KeyBank Center renovation price tag may top $500 million.
That's right: $500 million.
That's the opinion of John Cimperman, the East Aurora resident who has a long resume of working on sports-related developments including the Staples Center in Los Angeles and Cleveland's Rocket Arena.
"You start with the premise that KeyBank Center has some really good bones," Cimperman said. "But, it is a 30-year-old building."
Just from a casual observation, Cimperman can easily rattle off a number of interior upgrades that would improve the fan experience.
Some are more obvious like widening the concourses and upgrading the seats in the bowl.
Upgrades to concession stands and merchandise outlets along with non-sexy back-of-the-house things like improving the commissary operations and even addressing the HVAC system should be on the bucket list, Cimperman said.
"Let's face it, the building is antiquated," Cimperman said.
Others suggestions fall into the "outside-the-box" category such as replacing some of the suites with more communal game watching areas - something other arenas have done and proven to be very fan friendly.
Even some of the suites should be reduced in their seating capacity and size to make way for more bowl seats.
"Suites were very important in the 1990s but they aren't as important today," Cimperman said.
Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills COO Pete Guelli, in a text to WBEN, said there is no time frame for the arena renovations.
"We want to get through the opening of the (new Highmark) stadium," Guelli said in the text.
Still, Albany-based Ostroff Associates has been retained to lobby state lawmakers for financial assistance once a final workload and related price tag is established.
Sabres' owner Terry Pegula has already paid for much-needed roof repairs and installing a new scoreboard and sound system - all within the past few summers.
Cimperman noted similar arenas developed in the mid-1990s including ones in Columbus, Nashville and Boston were faced with renovation price tags in the $500 million range.
And, don't under estimate what KeyBank Center means to the downtown Buffalo core.
Between Sabres' and Bandits' home games along with concerts and special events, the arena welcomes more than 1 million people annually through its doors.
"It plays a major role in downtown," Cimperman said.