http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/.../Bills-Future/
Let Western New Yorkers decide not a bunch of politicians
http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/.../Bills-Future/
Let Western New Yorkers decide not a bunch of politicians
I'm so glad the article mentions Batavia. I've been screaming for that for 10 years.
Buy Batavia Downs. Raze it. Build Ralph II. Better yet, Rich II. Or Pegula Stadium.
It's prefect. Easily accessible from the NYS Thruway. Rochester and Syracuse are far more interesting markets to cultivate than Canada, IMO.
Raise the speed limit to 75 mph, done and done.
BertSquirtgum (04-12-2014)
it would be better for buffalo to get a downtown stadium and have the high speed trains bring you to the door as part of the buffalo billion project.
In the long run, it's better to have better transportation outside of driving. all these roads cost a lot and are inefficient manner of getting around. buffalo and NYS are thinking further ahead than 5 years. It has to be about spending tax money correctly to build a stadium, not simply to save a team.
a stadium downtown, with low tax zones to spur restaurants and shops, is way better for the region than having the ralph placed in another podunk outskirt and expecting people to drive everywhere. it's not very forward looking, in my opinion.
BertSquirtgum (04-12-2014),CoolBreeze (04-11-2014),Don't Panic (04-13-2014),Novacane (04-11-2014),The last buffalo fan (04-11-2014)
Last edited by justasportsfan; 04-11-2014 at 11:56 AM.
Meathead (04-11-2014)
I agree. They'd have to build a ton of infrastructure to make Batavia accessible for 70000 people. Downtown Buffalo is the where the stadium should be.
Buying a house in OP near 20A and the 219......keep it in OP
coastal (04-12-2014)
I disagree on the infrastructure, but agree somewhat on the Downtown Buffalo part.
I go back and forth on what my #1 choice is, but for now:
1a. Orchard Park- A total rebuild, in stages, on the current site, with a retractible roof.
1b. Bethlehem Steel site/Outer Harbor- Brownfields funds available to clean up, plenty of land. Would hopefully spur some adjacent development. Kills two birds with one stone.
2. Batavia- As I stated above, the infrastructure is already there. Batavia Downs site is right on the Thruway. There are already motels and more room for more. Nobody coming to podunk town? What is Orchard Park? Paris?
3. Niagara Falls- I'm fine with it, but I think the infrastructure needed would be a nightmare. It's already an epic clusterf... I can't imagine what it would take to make a stadium work.
The only reason I brought up Batavia in the thread is that it's a very viable option that nobody ever talks about.
BertSquirtgum (04-12-2014)
BertSquirtgum (04-12-2014),Generalissimus Gibby (04-14-2014)
On top of that Blahtavia is a dump...
that was my point on Podunk. is that we've already done this mistake and buffalo, the city paid for that dearly. The future for cities is building in it, not making it accessible to get to their suburbs.
buffalo is making the right moves of late. keep it going and build in the city or in niagara falls.
don137 (04-11-2014)
Those of you clamoring for a downtown stadium: have you ever actually been to a sporting event at a downtown stadium before?
I've been to baseball and football games in DC and Baltimore plenty of times.
Advantages: stuff to do before and after the game.
Disadvantages: pretty much everything else. Parking and public transportation are both woefully insufficient. Traffic is terrible. There is no tailgating culture because the only people who can afford the lots close to the stadium aren't exactly the typical tailgating type. And pregaming at a bar is much more expensive than tailgating.
BertSquirtgum (04-12-2014)
Pembroke. Been saying it for years. Dome. Sellouts for every game.
Lou Saban: You can get it done, you can get it done. And what’s more, you’ve gotta get it done.
Scumbag College (04-11-2014),WagonCircler (04-11-2014)
Just go with the falls. Plenty of land and crappy adjacent housing that could be purchased and the mafia there is very greasable... more so than the NFTA.
Any word on the Summit Park Mall site Plenty of land and parking from what I remember unless that got all built up prior to the mall tanking
Last edited by sukie; 04-11-2014 at 01:18 PM.
Lots more revenue if it's downtown since people would go out to eat, drink, etc. Easier access for out of towners. Tailgating is not as fun.
Niagra Falls would make it easier for Canadians and could increase fan base and ticket sales as result.
sam5767 (04-12-2014)
if you want the bills to be the team of hte next few years, build the stadium in a smaller suburb. if you want the bills to help buffalo, you put it downtown.
yes, you might have to go to a restaurant before the game or go to a bar. you are going with the same people. this is still buffalo. a bunch of snobs aren't going to descend on buffalo and screw the experience over. the sabres games and any events at FNC are pretty fun at pearl st grill.
buffalo's vibrancy needs more traffic flow and the more it's not about just getting back in your car and heading back, the better off the city is.
i really think batavia/pembroke is an old idea that will be a gigantic disservice for the area.
if you build a stadium that is multipurpose, includes the UB bulls games, possible convention center, it generates more people coming to downtown and creates a better community.
gebobs (04-14-2014)
I'd love to see a study regarding how many attendees at NFL games are there on day trips, vs how many stay overnight. My guess would be that it's upwards of 90%.
That's why I'd like to see the Bills go after the Central NY market. I'm thinking of Syracuse, in particular. A stadium in Batavia or Pembroke would shave about 2 hours, round trip, off of a commute for Syracuse ticket buyers. And it would sell a lot more Rochester tickets, I think.
I get why people want to see it Downtown, and I agree, mostly. But I always go back to the fact that RWS is used, by and large, for less than ten days a year. I'm not sure it would offset the difference in comparative property values between downtown and a more outlying area to have it there. Sure, you get ten good days for restaurants and bars, etc. But there are 355 other days in the year that it just sits.
I just have visions of total gridlock in my head with a Nia Falls stadium, especially. But a Buffalo stadium, too.
I don't know. All I care about is that it's within 40 miles of here.
better days (04-12-2014),Scumbag College (04-11-2014)