ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills have reached an agreement with Erie County and New York State for a $1.4 billion new stadium in Orchard Park.
Gov. Kathy Hochul and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced the pact on Monday.
Hochul’s negotiations secured a 30-year commitment for the Bills to remain in Buffalo, and a combined $550 million from the NFL and Bills, terms that NFL owners approved Monday, per Hochul’s office.
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State and local taxpayers will provide the other $850 million. Hochul will advance a $600 million proposal in the state budget, and Erie County will contribute $250 million. The economic and tax impacts generated from the team will “support more than 100 percent of the public share of the new stadium cost,” Hochul contends.
“I went into these negotiations trying to answer three questions – how long can we keep the Bills in Buffalo, how can we make sure this project benefits the hard-working men and women of Western New York and how can we get the best deal for taxpayers?” Hochul said. “I’m pleased that after months of negotiations, we’ve come out with the best answers possible — the Bills will stay in Buffalo for another 30 years, the project will create 10,000 union jobs and New Yorkers can rest assured that their investment will be recouped by the economic activity the team generates.”
The Bills generate $27 million annually in direct income, sales and use taxes for New York State, Erie County, and Buffalo. This revenue will grow and will cumulatively amount to more than $1.6 billion over the 30-year lease period, Hochul contends. At the same time, fans who attend games from across New York, the U.S. and Canada and “spend money locally that would not otherwise be spent in the region will result in an economic impact of more than $385 million annually.”
The 30-year agreement details the construction of a new stadium with a minimum of 60,000 seats in Orchard Park to be designed and constructed by the Buffalo Bills. The deal includes a commitment from the Bills to play at the new stadium for the next 30 years.
The Bills will begin design of the new stadium “immediately,” and all parties will begin negotiations on extending the team’s current lease for Highmark Stadium that expires in 2023.
Erie County will transfer ownership of the current stadium and adjoining complex to the state. New York will own the new stadium and adjoining complex, which will be leased to the Bills. In the event the Bills default on the agreement, the state and county have the right to go to court to enforce non-relocation terms.
The new stadium can also be used for civic purposes, such as, “if necessary,” vaccination delivery and election operations as well as in emergencies.
