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ALBANY – Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz was sounding confident Wednesday after what he described as “significant talks” Tuesday night by representatives of the county, state and Buffalo Bills about keeping the team from leaving town.
Poloncarz said earlier discussions about a short-term, one-year deal to give the sides more time to resolve issues are now off the table, and all sides are focused on a multiyear effort that would include public financing – including capital and some operating costs – for the team in return for a commitment to stay.
“It’s a complicated deal. I like the position we’re in, but we’re not there yet,” Poloncarz said Wednesday in an interview with The Buffalo News at the State Capitol.
Poloncarz said earlier discussions about a short-term, one-year deal to give the sides more time to resolve issues are now off the table, and all sides are focused on a multiyear effort that would include public financing – including capital and some operating costs – for the team in return for a commitment to stay.
“It’s a complicated deal. I like the position we’re in, but we’re not there yet,” Poloncarz said Wednesday in an interview with The Buffalo News at the State Capitol.
He said the talks are complicated, and if there is a final deal, it will entail multiple documents that will be well in excess of six inches high.
“It all comes down to we want to ensure this team’s here for a significant time period, so if we’re going to invest public dollars to renovate Ralph Wilson Stadium and assist the Bills with operating assistance as we have in the past, then we also want to ensure they’re there for some period,” he said.
Poloncarz described Tuesday night’s negotiating session as “significant” and “very good.”
Some observers have theorized the Bills may want a short-term deal because of health problems confronting Ralph Wilson, the team’s aging owner, and ownership issues that may arise upon his death.
But Poloncarz said he believes all sides – the county, state and team – are committed to a longer-term deal instead of a temporary, one-year type of arrangement. “There was a discussion at one point,” he said of a shorter-term arrangement, “but I think everyone realizes why do a short-term lease if we can get a long-term lease done now.”
Four times during the interview, Poloncarz repeated the phrase: “I like the position we’re in.”
“It all comes down to we want to ensure this team’s here for a significant time period, so if we’re going to invest public dollars to renovate Ralph Wilson Stadium and assist the Bills with operating assistance as we have in the past, then we also want to ensure they’re there for some period,” he said.
Poloncarz described Tuesday night’s negotiating session as “significant” and “very good.”
Some observers have theorized the Bills may want a short-term deal because of health problems confronting Ralph Wilson, the team’s aging owner, and ownership issues that may arise upon his death.
But Poloncarz said he believes all sides – the county, state and team – are committed to a longer-term deal instead of a temporary, one-year type of arrangement. “There was a discussion at one point,” he said of a shorter-term arrangement, “but I think everyone realizes why do a short-term lease if we can get a long-term lease done now.”
Four times during the interview, Poloncarz repeated the phrase: “I like the position we’re in.”
-Bill
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