BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – While preliminary negotiations are underway between Pegula Sports and Entertainment and government officials over the future of the new stadium, prominent state officials are adamant in their hopes that the Buffalo Bills will remain in Western New York.
“We are in negotiations and conversations right now and we’re learning the full-scale of what they’re proposing,” Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said. “This is going to be a conversation that is ongoing but it is of utmost importance to our administration.”
Hochul said the state will not negotiate the contract in public, but noted the state already invested $135 million in upgrades at the stadium in Orchard Park.
“We expect the Buffalo Bills to be here a very long time,” Hochul said.
The Buffalo News first reported about the Pegulas wanting the more than $1 billion stadium to be entirely paid for by taxpayers. Hochul said the team’s proposal shows a demolition of the current stadium and for a new stadium to be built in Orchard Park.
“This is the beginning of a negotiation,” State Senator Tim Kennedy said. “Like any negotiation, there’s a beginning, middle, and end.
There’s a long way before this thing is finished. It’s the opening salvo of a larger negotiation and conversation that’s going to be taking place over the next several months and next couple of years. We’ll see where it takes us.”
Some are critical of the idea of a taxpayer-funded new stadium due to the financial status of the Pegula family.
“We expect the conversation to move forward aggressively,” Kennedy said. “The most important thing, as far I’m concerned, is keeping the Bills in Buffalo but making sure the taxpayers don’t get hosed. The way we protect the taxpayers is by keeping the Bills in Buffalo. They are a revenue generator who produce millions of dollars in economic activity, thousands of jobs in our community…and so it’s important we maintain the Buffalo Bills here in Buffalo and our community.”