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View Full Version : Bills open to lease tying team to WNY


YardRat
10-30-2011, 09:17 AM
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article612849.ece

The Buffalo Bills would be willing to sign a restrictive lease tying the team to Western New York -- if they get a satisfactory agreement with New York State and Erie County, team sources tell The News.
Serious negotiations on extending the current lease, which runs through July 2013, have not yet begun. The Bills want significant upgrades to Ralph Wilson Stadium, paid for by New York State and Erie County, in order to sign an extension.
The current lease, signed in 1997, cost the state roughly $120 million. It's safe to say the Bills are likely to seek considerably more this time.
How can the state and county be protected if Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson, who just turned 93, does not survive the length of the lease and the team is sold?
An obvious solution is for the inclusion of a repayment protection clause, stipulating the state and county would be repaid the full amount of their investment if the team moved during the term of the lease. The Bills view this sort of clause as reasonable, The News' sources say, presuming the stadium upgrades are acceptable to the team.
BertSquirtgum
10-30-2011, 10:04 AM
That makes me happy.
Jan Reimers
10-30-2011, 10:27 AM
It would only be fair for the State of New York to pay the $100M or so for infrastucture improvements at the Ralph, given that it paid many times that in support of the New Yankee Stadium.

It would also be fair of the Bills to sign a restrictive lease (one with heavy penalties for moving), if the state (and county) are providing substantial financial aid.
clumping platelets
10-30-2011, 10:40 AM
But not all the money needs to come from the state or county........ticket surcharge could cover 25-33% of the cost. However, I would still require the team to commit to 10-15 more years
hemi13
10-30-2011, 11:06 AM
The legal side of says that if a new owner came in and bought the team for let's say 900 million, (Forbes values the Bills at 821 million) that paying an extra 200 or 300 million just to move the team to a larger market wouldn't be possible? I think they should be a hard ass and make it DOUBLE the amount to be repaid to the State and County if the Bills are moved.

"An obvious solution is for the inclusion of a repayment protection clause, stipulating the state and county would be repaid the full amount of their investment if the team moved during the term of the lease."
better days
10-30-2011, 11:39 AM
But not all the money needs to come from the state or county........ticket surcharge could cover 25-33% of the cost. However, I would still require the team to commit to 10-15 more years

I think the State should provide as much money to renovate the Ralph as it did for Yankee stadium. Time some STATE tax money was spent in WNY.
TacklingDummy
10-30-2011, 11:50 AM
It would only be fair for the State of New York to pay the $100M or so for infrastucture improvements at the Ralph, given It would also be fair of the Bills to sign a restrictive lease (one with heavy penalties for moving), if the state (and county) are providing substantial financial aid.[that it paid many times that in support of the New Yankee Stadium.


Problem is, when people say NY, they think NYC, everyone forgets about the rest of NY.
better days
10-30-2011, 01:49 PM
Problem is, when people say NY, they think NYC, everyone forgets about the rest of NY.

Especially the people that are responsible for running the State.
EricStratton
10-30-2011, 01:54 PM
The costs paid by the state around Yankee Stadium and Citi Field were so high because they had to pay NYC prices for labor and materials.

They could do the same job in Orchard Park for a fraction of the cost.
better days
10-30-2011, 01:59 PM
The costs paid by the state around Yankee Stadium and Citi Field were so high because they had to pay NYC prices for labor and materials.

They could do the same job in Orchard Park for a fraction of the cost.

True, but dollars are dollars. MUCH more money goes into NYC than comes out of it for the rest of the State.

NOBODY should have a problem with the State paying to update the Ralph.
jamze132
10-30-2011, 02:21 PM
One would think that the great state of new York would have no problem pumping in some money to the states only NFL team.