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Despite strong community fears that the Buffalo Bills may exit when the team's lease at Ralph Wilson Stadium expires in four years, Erie County Executive Christopher Collins feels that may not be the case.
"I'm going to be the optimist," Collins said Wednesday afternoon just a few hours after the Bills formally announced plans to play eight games -- including five regular season contests at Toronto's Rogers Centre beginning in 2008.
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Still, team officials including owner Ralph Wilson Jr. have expressed concern that the economic strength and population base of the Buffalo Niagara region is dwindling and that the community lacks the ability to financially support the Bills the way other communities have backed their National Football League.
Collins isn't buying into that argument.
"We have to prove to the naysayers including Ralph Wilson that we are growing," Collins said.
The County Executive said he is open and willing to negotiate a new lease with the Bills, but so far the team has been cool to his offers. The Bills lease at Ralph Wilson Stadium expires in 2012.
"It takes two to negotiate and I don't think they want, at this point," Collins said. "Keeping the Bills is high on my agenda and high on the agenda of others."
Atleast we know the county is working hard to keep them here...
"I'm going to be the optimist," Collins said Wednesday afternoon just a few hours after the Bills formally announced plans to play eight games -- including five regular season contests at Toronto's Rogers Centre beginning in 2008.
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Still, team officials including owner Ralph Wilson Jr. have expressed concern that the economic strength and population base of the Buffalo Niagara region is dwindling and that the community lacks the ability to financially support the Bills the way other communities have backed their National Football League.
Collins isn't buying into that argument.
"We have to prove to the naysayers including Ralph Wilson that we are growing," Collins said.
The County Executive said he is open and willing to negotiate a new lease with the Bills, but so far the team has been cool to his offers. The Bills lease at Ralph Wilson Stadium expires in 2012.
"It takes two to negotiate and I don't think they want, at this point," Collins said. "Keeping the Bills is high on my agenda and high on the agenda of others."
Atleast we know the county is working hard to keep them here...
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