Sabres bid on parking lot acreage in attempt to build new rinks downtown

IKnowPhysics · June 20, 2012

http://www.bizjourna...er.html?ana=twt

The Webster Block — a nearly two-acre parcel that sits across from First Niagara Center — has drawn three proposals including ones from prominent local developer Carl Paladino’s Ellicott Development Co. and the Buffalo Sabres...

Sources said the Sabres are proposing a multi-rink facility that will include a hotel. The rinks would be used as a practice facility for the Sabres and would also host amateur and youth tournaments.

###### yes.

I saved copies of my Sabres suggestion box submittals from March last year, here's the relevant one:

If making the Buffalo Sabres the NHL's Hockey Heaven is truly a goal, I think players AND fans would love to see a new state-of-the-art Sabres practice facility downtown. A good model of this concept is the LA Kings' two-rink practice facility, the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, CA.

A facility like this built in downtown Buffalo would have many benefits:

a) It would provide a world class practice environment for the world class professionals of the Buffalo Sabres organization.

b) It would allow for the hosting of special events for sponsors, season ticket holders, and friends/families of the organization.

c) It would boost organized youth and adult hockey in the Western New York region, a great many of whom are fans of the Buffalo Sabres.

d) It would be an added downtown attraction, bringing hockey fans and players downtown (and their business!) more often. A small restaurant overlooking the practice rink could be a fantastic lunch spot for hockey fans and downtown workers.

e) It would create jobs and business opportunities to the downtown area, and would continue to demonstrate the Buffalo Sabres' commitment to WNY!

I comprehend the magnitude of what I am suggesting, but a responsive outcome, even in it's most modest form would be a fantastic asset of the Buffalo Sabres and the community.

Thank you for your sincere consideration,

More ice is good for everyone, especially if its downtown. I love this team.

edit: Just for reference, the Toyota Sports Center: http://www.toyotasportscenter.com/

Think of it as a three rink Northtown Center that's professionally run by LA Kings staff, with a beer-serving lunch counter, lots of adult and youth leagues, lots of kids camps, and Kings practices open to public viewing. Shower facilities that are clean and private enough to actually use.

edit2: Byron Brown pleased with bids (more detail): http://www.bizjourna...evelopment.html

darksabre · June 20, 2012

that is F'N Fantastic and it's not even Friday!

tom webster · June 21, 2012

This has been rumored for more then a year and while I welcome the idea of a practice facility downtown I'm not sure this parcel of land is the best spot for it.

nobody · June 21, 2012

Better idea than more top shelf office space that will leech from some other office space downtown.

tom webster · June 21, 2012

I agree but think those aren't the only 2 options.

nobody · June 21, 2012

I agree but think those aren't the only 2 options.

It would be nice to know more about "The third proposal was more conceptual than either the Sabres or Paladino offering."

Based on the followup article it doesn't seem like anyone cares about that 3rd one though. At least the writer isn't.

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2012/06/20/mayor-pleased-with-webster-development.html

Rico7 · June 21, 2012

This has been rumored for more then a year and while I welcome the idea of a practice facility downtown I'm not sure this parcel of land is the best spot for it.

I agree. I am just not sure that spot would be the best for that. I do however likethe fact that Delaware North is a part of that though.

Eleven · June 21, 2012

Was it reported here at one point that the City was going to build a big outdoor rink at the former Aud site? Is that still part of what's going on there?

darksabre · June 21, 2012

Was it reported here at one point that the City was going to build a big outdoor rink at the former Aud site? Is that still part of what's going on there?

Just off the top of my head, I believe that the outdoor rink is still a plan, but might not be related to this one.

Eleven · June 21, 2012

Just off the top of my head, I believe that the outdoor rink is still a plan, but might not be related to this one.

Whatever they're doing there looks a lot more complicated than putting in a rink.

Also, I was in the HSBC tower the other day; got a good view of the top of the F'N C. The HSBC logo is still in the center of the roof. First Niagara is going to want to fix that someday.

darksabre · June 21, 2012

Whatever they're doing there looks a lot more complicated than putting in a rink.

Also, I was in the HSBC tower the other day; got a good view of the top of the F'N C. The HSBC logo is still in the center of the roof. First Niagara is going to want to fix that someday.

I think I heard somewhere that the roof is getting painted this summer, but I could just be imagining things.

sabills · June 21, 2012

Was it reported here at one point that the City was going to build a big outdoor rink at the former Aud site? Is that still part of what's going on there?

Just off the top of my head, I believe that the outdoor rink is still a plan, but might not be related to this one.

Whatever they're doing there looks a lot more complicated than putting in a rink.

Also, I was in the HSBC tower the other day; got a good view of the top of the F'N C. The HSBC logo is still in the center of the roof. First Niagara is going to want to fix that someday.

Basically what they're doing is extending the existing 'canal' that they have down there, then in the winter a large portion of it will be frozen to make a large skating area. Not really a 'rink' in the normal sense.

There's a basic pic, fairly recent.

spndnchz · June 21, 2012

Whatever they're doing there looks a lot more complicated than putting in a rink.

Also, I was in the HSBC tower the other day; got a good view of the top of the F'N C. The HSBC logo is still in the center of the roof. First Niagara is going to want to fix that someday.

It's getting painted this summer.

For those interested, the camera is still going from the Aud demolition here:

http://www.earthcam.com/client/erie/

If you click on the 11th, 12th of June you can see where the dirt was that is now grass thanks to TPegs.

SwampD · June 21, 2012

It can't be said enough what an amazing waterfront Buffalo would have if that abortion called the Skyway wasn't there.

sabills · June 21, 2012

It's getting painted this summer.

For those interested, the camera is still going from the Aud demolition here:

http://www.earthcam.com/client/erie/

If you click on the 11th, 12th of June you can see where the dirt was that is now grass thanks to TPegs.

Thats awesome. Cool to watch the harbor fill up between 6 and 7 on thursdays too.

Eleven · June 21, 2012

It can't be said enough what an amazing waterfront Buffalo would have if that abortion called the Skyway wasn't there.

The Skyway is becoming less and less noticeable with all the development down there. With the Aud gone, and a clear view from the canalside park to F'N C, it actually looks pretty nice.

spndnchz · June 21, 2012

The Skyway is becoming less and less noticeable with all the development down there. With the Aud gone, and a clear view from the canalside park to F'N C, it actually looks pretty nice.

Do you know if they are still planning on putting the lights underneath it?

SwampD · June 21, 2012

The Skyway is becoming less and less noticeable with all the development down there. With the Aud gone, and a clear view from the canalside park to F'N C, it actually looks pretty nice.

My only concern is that seeing all the trash on the ground, it could only have come from one place, 100 feet up. Anything they put under the Skyway is going to get pelted with garbage and car and truck parts.

spndnchz · June 21, 2012

My only concern is that seeing all the trash on the ground, it could only have come from one place, 100 feet up. Anything they put under the Skyway is going to get pelted with garbage and car and truck parts.

It is a bit scary when you are at a concert and you're just waiting for a truck to come over the guardrail at you.

nobody · June 21, 2012

My only concern is that seeing all the trash on the ground, it could only have come from one place, 100 feet up. Anything they put under the Skyway is going to get pelted with garbage and car and truck parts.

And salted oily snow in the winter.

PromoTheRobot · June 21, 2012

I guess the idea of building a rink with Canisius College is out? Why not build one rink with 3-4K capacity so Canisius and/or UB could use it for their D1 programs?

PTR

LastPommerFan · June 21, 2012

I guess the idea of building a rink with Canisius College is out? Why not build one rink with 3-4K capacity so Canisius and/or UB could use it for their D1 programs?

PTR

They mention that the rink complex is to be used as a home base for "local colleges"

IKnowPhysics · June 21, 2012

If Delaware North is involved in building a rink, UB's use of it probably isn't far behind. Jeremy Jacobs (owner of the Bruins and Delaware North) is a UB alum and has strong ties to the school. He's already donated $10M for a vascular disease research institute, the largest ever donation to UB, and he was formerly president of the UB Foundation. Murmurs are that he could "go all Pegula" and relaunch UB into D1 hockey and that UB would be happy to do it.

It'd be logisitically tricky, but not impossible for both Canisius and Buffalo to play in the same building (think home/away weekends that are normal to D1). Then, just about every winter weekend you have two nights of D1 college hockey going on downtown, not to mention the possibility of matinee games on Sabres game nights and/or for women's college teams.

Wow, imagine four D1 teams, between men's and women's ice for both Buffalo and Canisius in addition to the Sabres playing 3-4 times a week. That'd make the corner of Main and Perry truly hockey heaven.

darksabre · June 21, 2012

Not to mention getting out of that awful Buff State arena for Canisius.

The question becomes, would people actually go to the games? Canisius barely draws a crowd as it is.

shrader · June 21, 2012

Your link is nearly a year old. Anyway, the road for UB would be a very tough one. Those bottom feeder conferences that are on the verge of dying off would be the only ones to even consider them.

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