Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue grab”

[Guest]

Polancarz sounds off on new Bills stadium

County Executive Mark Poloncarz shared his thoughts on the idea of a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills. Polancarz told the Buffalo News that he isn't sold that the team needs one.

“They have to prove to me that the Bills can’t be viable in Ralph Wilson Stadium,” Poloncarz told The News. “If we’re going to have to build a new stadium, I want so see something that really proves we need a new stadium.”

The County Executive, who participated in the negotiation for the Bills' new lease, said he does not want to dip into other funds to provide a stadium.

“I’m not going to cut libraries, I’m not going to cut parks, I’m not going to cut Child Protective Services to give more money to the multibillionaires who run professional football.”

“I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue grab,” Poloncarz said.

http://www.wgr550.com/Polancarz-sounds-off-on-new-Bills-stadium/19665252

Odd timing.

[Fletch]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

All of a sudden he's conscientious about spending taxpayer money. I think that the reality here is that he doesn't see any option for keeping the team here insofar as the county goes. He's merely trying to avoid looking bad and trying to save his political capital. The state doesn't seem to be far behind.

He's either stupid or lying, which being a politician is probably the latter. Our stadium is low-end by modern standards. It doesn't matter what we want or would be satisfied with, the NFL has its standards and we don't live up to them. I'd be perfectly fine with an old-school stadium and no frills, and even if all of us agreed, that wouldn't matter.

Goodell (aka the NFL) has made it beyond clear that we need a new stadium, so we need a new stadium if the team expects to remain here long term. By 2020 it will seem even less up to NFL standards.

One thing not being discussed here, at least not that I've seen, is the possibility as remote as it may be, that the NFL actually prefers that the team does move despite their statements to the contrary. I don't think that's the case, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were.

[OpIv37]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

Apparently Poloncarz has never been to a sports venue outside of Buffalo, NY.

The Ralph is fine for diehard football fans who just want to go watch a game, but the NFL saturated that market years ago. They are going after amenities to entice rich people and companies to spend lots of money on luxury boxes, higher quality food and drink, etc, and experiences and novelties to attract more casual fans, and the Ralph doesn't hold up.

The league has changed and the Ralph hasn't been able to keep up. Personally, I don't like most of the changes but they are the reality, and if Buffalo can't change with the times then the NFL will do everything they can to put the team somewhere else.

Also, Poloncarz seems to be confusing the issue of need for a new stadium with the issue of whether it's wise to spend public funds on a new stadium.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

Erie County stands to lose the most from a transition to a privately owned stadium since they will lose the lease and it also will have an abandoned stadium to either repurpose or demolish which will cost them millions.

[Fletch]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

Erie County stands to lose the most from a transition to a privately owned stadium since they will lose the lease and it also will have an abandoned stadium to either repurpose or demolish which will cost them millions.

The thing is that it's going to be a lot harder to demolish than traditional stadiums which just have to be stripped and then demolished. In this case demolishing will require excavating 75% of it out of the ground, which will be a whole lot more expensive. Breaking up all that concrete in the ground would have to be very time consuming. Maybe they would just dynamite it all like they do with rock formations when they build roadways.

I don't know if simply taking off the upper decks would be an option, still, what would it be used for?

Instead of this stupid short-term renovation Wilson should have had the foresight to work with someone, or a new owner, to build a new stadium. I have to think that it could have been negotiated when they negotiated that renovation and lease.

[trapezeus]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

this is entirely political posturing. every stadium deal, not just specific to buffalo, has a lot of political back and forth. i wouldn't read too much into it.

[THATHURMANATOR]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

Apparently Poloncarz has never been to a sports venue outside of Buffalo, NY.

The Ralph is fine for diehard football fans who just want to go watch a game, but the NFL saturated that market years ago. They are going after amenities to entice rich people and companies to spend lots of money on luxury boxes, higher quality food and drink, etc, and experiences and novelties to attract more casual fans, and the Ralph doesn't hold up.

The league has changed and the Ralph hasn't been able to keep up. Personally, I don't like most of the changes but they are the reality, and if Buffalo can't change with the times then the NFL will do everything they can to put the team somewhere else.

Also, Poloncarz seems to be confusing the issue of need for a new stadium with the issue of whether it's wise to spend public funds on a new stadium.

I have been to about 10 away Bills games.

None blew me away at all.

In fact I have been told by a few people that are involved with the current restoration that it will be a huge improvement.

[Buffalogic]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

New stadium means outside dollars coming into Buffalo that probably wouldn't have been there otherwise. A new stadium would be fantastic for regional growth and tourism. It is more than just football.

[OpIv37]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

I have been to about 10 away Bills games.

None blew me away at all.

In fact I have been told by a few people that are involved with the current restoration that it will be a huge improvement.

I've only been to two.

FedEx in DC blows. It was designed looking backward and looks like a stadium from the 70's even though it's only about 15 years old.

M&T bank stadium in Balt is a much better experience but it didn't blow me away either.

Here's the problem though: people like you and me are going to buy outdoor tickets and sit out in the elements and yell the whole game. Give us good sight lines, a good video replay board, and visible score boards with time and down and distance info, and we are set.

The people the NFL wants to be blown away are the people who are more casual football fans who need something beyond the game to show up, or people who are going to shell out for luxury boxes or club seats.

I've never been in a luxury box for football, but I would venture to guess that a luxury box experience in Buffalo doesn't even compare to one in Dallas People like you and me don't care, but the people that the NFL wants to impress do care.

[DraftBoy]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

The NFL's goal with stadiums has nothing to do with actual fans, they know they have that market no matter what the stadiums are like.

They are trying to reach the casual fans and create an environment at the stadium around the game that can bring in more people and more money. You'll see a number of NFL stadiums now include entire vendor stations (and some video boards) dedicated to Fantasy Football. As a a hardcore fan you probably can't imagine going to a Bills game to leave your seat, walk to the fantasy football lounge and watch a few other teams play at the same time but that's how it will work in a number of stadiums this year.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

[h=1]

“I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue grab,” Poloncarz said.[/I]

...said one of the leaders of our vast public sector elite class with near-unlimited taxing authority. LOL.

[trapezeus]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

i've been to metlife. it's pretty spectacular with the 4 score boards, if you sit in the seats i have at the ralph at metlife, it's amazing.

1. seperate and more entrances. No long lines to get in.
2. you enter into a large box that has a ton of concessions and lounge chairs and tvs. therefore, you can sit inside and watch some of the game, or watch the game as you are getting food.
3. they have a jets wine and wine bar. would be cool if a finger lake winery sponsored a bills wine that you could buy
4. plenty of bathrooms and no troughs.
5. the box you go to your seat has plenty of ways to enter and exit. therefore at the end of the game, the smaller rows have more exits and don't get bottle necked. it's pretty smooth exit to your car or train.
6. the box is so large that it comfortably holds the entire seating section its meant for. i was at a game where there was a rain delay and everyone moved in because of the lightning and it wasn't crowded, you could still get food, could watch highlights of other games. it made the rain delay a lot more bearable than just waiting for the game to start again.

[Bill Cody]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

This whole new stadium thing is a revenue grab. It's utterly ridiculous and unnecessary. If the NFL wants new stadiums every 5 minutes they should pony up for them. Or the billionaire owners. The days of tax payers funding these tributes to excess are pretty much over. The state should help with some infrastructure and that's it.

[ServoBillieves]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

In my young life, I've been to a few away stadiums. Each one has it's draw; NFL football. The locations, the "upgrades" I've witnessed over the years, it's all as DB stated, a new draw. "Oh, we just put $250 million in to Bank of America." You know what difference I noticed? There's now an escalator to the nosebleeds and a much larger screen. It's the promise to the taxpayers ($125 Million from the city of Charlotte's taxpayers) that if you go and see the hometown team, your investment was worth it. Thus Preferred Parking gets revenue, local enforcement venues get jobs, et cetera and so forth.

To the diehards (as per Op's point) these things go unnoticed. I'm not watching the super-mega-ultra-jumbotron, I'm watching what's on the field. I could've saved myself $200+ if I wanted to watch the game on a TV screen, but I digress... We aren't the ones shelling out hundreds/thousands for corporate boxes. I personally have been in a corporate box a few times at Three Rivers, Ralph Wilson, Heinz Field, and to a much lesser extent (and not football) PNC Park. I do not see the draw. They're fancy, sure, and they are expensive (although we didn't pay a dime) but if I'm going for the game, I'm going for the game, I'm not going with possible business partners. Now, as for the everyday fan:

Heinz Field: Few entrances, very crowded, poor parking, felt like the stadium was going to collapse at any moment. The field is poor, but as some Pittsburgh fans proudly stated, "it's built like the city. Rugged and tough." Ok. Vantage points were good, not really a bad seat in the house. Women talking about TV shows the entire game behind me.
Qualcomm Stadium: There are no redeeming qualities of this stadium, and I think anyone who has been there agrees. THIS is a stadium that needs to be torn down and that is a team that needs to get a new stadium. Currently holds a 3 star rating on Yelp. Parking was a nightmare.
Bank of America Field: Before and after renovations, pretty much the same. Excellent seating arrangements and plenty of room in the corridors. Entering is a hassle, and some seats give poor vantage of the field. Parking is OK for a downtown stadium, plenty of it.

I see his point; The Ralph draws a crowd. As long as there are Bills fans, they will flock, but for those who want the fancy, high class **** (and for The Dark One's pocketbook) they'll demand a new stadium.

Sissies.

[GingerP]

Re: Poloncarz: “I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue gra

“I think they are taking the opportunity to use this as a revenue grab,” Poloncarz said.

Um... of course they are, is that a surprise? That is what the NFL is about.