BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – Conversations have been ongoing between New York State, Erie County, the NFL, and Pegula Sports and Entertainment over a new Buffalo Bills Stadium.
After previously not commenting about the talks, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said Tuesday talks have been in a variety of forms ranging from e-mails to in-person communications.
"That continued with even this weekend," Poloncarz said. "We will continue to have conversations between the teams."
Ron Raccuia, Vice President of Pegula Sports, declined to comment when asked about the negotiations.
Specifics of the negotiations have been almost entirely behind closed doors. Raccuia previously told WBEN the stadium would cost $1.4 billion.
Some of that money is expected to come from Terry and Kim Pegula, though it's widely believed that most of the money will be paid for by taxpayer dollars.
Central to the negotiations is a stadium study conducted by the Buffalo Bills. However, despite FOIL requests by news outlets to government entities, the study has not been released. The Coalition for Open Government on Tuesday said the reason why the request is being denied is due to the ongoing negotiations, something they are challenging in court.
Erie County Minority Leader Joe Lorigo told WBEN the public should be able to see the stadium study, but questions whether the state or county has received a copy of the stadium study.
"If (the Pegulas) haven't shared it with the state or county yet, then they have the right to keep it," Lorigo said. "But once it becomes part of the negotiations, then the negotiations that are meant to ask for a new stadium instead of upgrades, if that study has been given to the state and given to the county, then I think the public needs to take a look at it."
The county legislature has no active role in the negotiations, but Lorigo said once a deal is reached on a stadium, the legislature will need to approve it. Public hearings on the deal are expected once reached.
"(We would) vote yes or no," Lorigo said. "I was part of the last lease agreement ten years ago. That was simply it. I don't want to see that happen again. I want to have a seat at the table and be a part of it, even to listen in and better understand what's going on and from what perspective each side is coming from."
Lorigo said there needs to be a respect of taxpayer dollars and not be asked for a lump sum. Instead, he wants it to be like the last stadium lease extension where tax dollars that were used for stadium upgrades were paid over several years.
Legislative Chairwoman April Baskin was unavailable to comment.
Governor Kathy Hochul was asked about the ongoing stadium negotiations on Wednesday. Specifically, she was asked if the driving force behind talks is the region's emotional attachment to the team or the economic benefit.
"There is a strong economic impact to any sports team in a community," Hochul said. "It helps define a community. It puts them on the map.
It also drives people to there for conventions and meetings around these sporting events. I will say there is an emotional attachment, but that will not dictate the price tag or the involvement of the State of New York. But it's real."
When asked about criticisms of the state's transparency, Hochul said they are still in the "fact-finding" phase, where experts are conducting their own research on the cost of a new stadium versus renovations.
"We're still gathering data," Hochul said. "We're asking questions so we have a full picture of what we're dealing with. Does a price tag include the removal of the existing stadium? We want the full picture. They're working on that."
