BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – While there is optimism Buffalo Bills fans will be allowed to attend a home playoff game next month, it's less likely that fans will be allowed to tailgate ahead of the game.
"I could see that if the governor approves fans in the stands, I'm thinking they may also say you have to be on stadium property and won't allow any of the private lots to be opened up," Eric Matwijow, owner of Hammers Lot, said. "I am a commercial business and I have to get a permit from the town…but I don't think there's going to be any action by the town to open up that we could get a permit for parking. I don't see that happening right now. It would be a tight window."
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said on Sunday that tailgating presents more of a challenge than getting fans into the stadium.
"We have looked at other stadiums of a similar size and capacity," Zucker said.
Before the start of the season, there was a push to have tailgating, though it was put on hold by the Orchard Park Town Board because Erie County officials said there would be no tailgating permits issued if no fans were allowed into the stadium.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz on Monday said it is premature to wonder about tailgating.
"We'll consider it as we move forward," Poloncarz said. "Even with returning to the stadium earlier this year, (The Bills) had a plan which would limit a lot of activity. No tailgating. You could park but you couldn't tailgate. No buses. The buses that often like to come, there would be no buses.
You would drive in with your car and get out of your car and go to the stadium.
That's assuming there were fans."
Poloncarz reiterated that the county will need roughly two weeks' notice if fans will be allowed into the stadium so they can prepare security and other personnel like EMS staff.
"It's a lot bigger operation than people think," Poloncarz said. "It's like running a small city for a normal game time when we have representatives from various agencies, security agencies, health care agencies, and the like, to ensure the safety of all attendees."
