PSE Begins Discussions on Future of the Stadium and Arena Projects

[Brawndo]

 

[That Aud Smell]

Interesting, to say the least.

[That Aud Smell]

Also, and not for nothing, it's interesting to see the stadium and arena being discussed together. My recollection is that this study was really a stadium study, and that they were going to take a peek at the arena issues as well. But this press release makes them sound more tied together.

[Flashsabre]

If the results are building new they should build them together on a single piece of land, even connected, or one giant facility with both housed within, sharing parking space. Easier said then done, finding a piece of land that makes sense.

[thewookie1]

19 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Also, and not for nothing, it's interesting to see the stadium and arena being discussed together. My recollection is that this study was really a stadium study, and that they were going to take a peek at the arena issues as well. But this press release makes them sound more tied together.

Im unsure how’d they build a new arena since the Harbor Center connects to the present one. I could seriously see retrofits on both the Bills and Sabres homes however. Modernize Rich/Ralph Wilson/ etc Stadium with a retractable roof. As for the arena they could remodel the whole interior and potentially move the Sabres front office into a newer built add on.

[LabattBlue]

5 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Im unsure how’d they build a new arena since the Harbor Center connects to the present one. I could seriously see retrofits on both the Bills and Sabres homes however. Modernize Rich/Ralph Wilson/ etc Stadium with a retractable roof. As for the arena they could remodel the whole interior and potentially move the Sabres front office into a newer built add on.

I am pretty sure many PSE employees have offices in the building next to the arena that houses the “Labatt House” that is now owned by the Pegula’s.  I would think though that the inner circle of hockey ops(GM, Coaches, etc...) have offices in the arena.  

[thewookie1]

3 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I am pretty sure many PSE employees have offices in the building next to the arena that houses the “Labatt House” that is now owned by the Pegula’s.  I would think though that the inner circle of hockey ops(GM, Coaches, etc...) have offices in the arena.  

Yes, many PSE employees are now above the Labatt House. PSE has been in part have been trying to clear out some of their office spaces on the main campus of 1 Bills Dr. 

[LabattBlue]

I have no inside info, but i still believe the Bills new stadium will end up in the arena area, and will have a fixed roof dome.  
 

The KBC needs a major renovation, but keep in mind that there is only so much that can be done within the existing footprint...but the more money thrown at it, the better the end product will be...and it does need a LOT of money dedicated to it. 

[LGR4GM]

37 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Im unsure how’d they build a new arena since the Harbor Center connects to the present one. I could seriously see retrofits on both the Bills and Sabres homes however. Modernize Rich/Ralph Wilson/ etc Stadium with a retractable roof. As for the arena they could remodel the whole interior and potentially move the Sabres front office into a newer built add on.

There's really no point in putting more money into the Ralph. 

I think they are young to take out the Perry Projects and build the stadium there personally. 

[That Aud Smell]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

There's really no point in putting more money into the Ralph. 

I think they are young to take out the Perry Projects and build the stadium there personally. 

That’s been Carl Paladino’s long game. Dude owns scads of property down that way. He’s banking on it.

[thewookie1]

To be honest I just don't want a downtown stadium; the city doesn't have the space for tailgating or the infrastructure to handle the influx of people and cars the games create. Not to mention the parking prices.

[LGR4GM]

22 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

To be honest I just don't want a downtown stadium; the city doesn't have the space for tailgating or the infrastructure to handle the influx of people and cars the games create. Not to mention the parking prices.

They can Assuredly handle the influx of ppl. 

I agree though that Tailgating will be very different. 

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

Also, and not for nothing, it's interesting to see the stadium and arena being discussed together. My recollection is that this study was really a stadium study, and that they were going to take a peek at the arena issues as well. But this press release makes them sound more tied together.

Remember, a few months after the stadium upgrade/relocation feasibility study, they did similar a similar study focusing on upgrades for the MMArena.  AFAIK, the results of the studies hadn't been made public.

[Radar]

22 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

They can Assuredly handle the influx of ppl. 

I agree though that Tailgating will be very different. 

I don't want tax payers subsidizing tailgating.

[SDS]

24 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

They can Assuredly handle the influx of ppl. 

I agree though that Tailgating will be very different. 

Privately, that may be the goal of the NFL. Buffalo routinely embarrasses itself every year.

[Radar]

3 minutes ago, SDS said:

Privately, that may be the goal of the NFL. Buffalo routinely embarrasses itself every year.

Amen. Passionate fans? Or just immature jerks? 

[SDS]

3 minutes ago, Radar said:

Amen. Passionate fans? Or just immature jerks? 

Deadspin featured us yearly for something completely out of line.

[LGR4GM]

27 minutes ago, Radar said:

I don't want tax payers subsidizing tailgating.

Idk what this means but I have no desire to pay for a billion dollar industries, billionaire owners, pleasure palace. 

26 minutes ago, SDS said:

Privately, that may be the goal of the NFL. Buffalo routinely embarrasses itself every year.

Yup. They want that family friendly atmosphere but it won't happen. Sure they'll be less tables broken but bars and things dt will be packed just like a college town. 

[Brawndo]

 

[mjd1001]

2 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

 

The KBC needs a major renovation, but keep in mind that there is only so much that can be done within the existing footprint...but the more money thrown at it, the better the end product will be...and it does need a LOT of money dedicated to it. 

Agree on the Key Bank center.  It hasn't aged well.

Would it be nice for the Bills to have a new stadium?  Yes for me.  Is the current one up the the standard of other ones around the league?  Of course not.  Would I PERSONALLY like to see it downtown?  You bet.  But....despite all of that the last time I went to a Bills game the stadium was fine.  If the choose to renovate it more, it will be more than good enough.

The Arena for Hockey though?  Wow, to me it wasn't a good experience.  The seats we had or the ones near us where dirty, stained and in some cases needed to be totally replaced.  The concrete below your feet in many places is pitted and cracked.  As others have mentioned, go to some of the restrooms and you'll find things not working right (warm water?) or down right out of order.  I have been to a few other Arenas in the past few years....the ones built about the same time as the KBC are holding up much better..and the newer ones totally blow it away.

Personally, it it were up to me (and of course it isn't), I think the Sabres need a new home more than the Bills, I can't see how the KBC won't be having major problems in the next 4-5 years.

[PerreaultForever]

Just don't build a freakin' dome. There aren't enough snow games any more as it is. 

[apuszczalowski]

22 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Just don't build a freakin' dome. There aren't enough snow games any more as it is. 

Then good luck because that's the way most are going and the government's won't be in favour in chipping in millions for a venue that's only guaranteed  around 10 events a year.

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, apuszczalowski said:

Then good luck because that's the way most are going and the government's won't be in favour in chipping in millions for a venue that's only guaranteed  around 10 events a year.

The government shouldn't be in favor. These giant stadiums are just money pits.

Since libraries got brought recently they have a better economic impact than a football stadium

[apuszczalowski]

1 hour ago, SDS said:

Privately, that may be the goal of the NFL. Buffalo routinely embarrasses itself every year.

I've said it for years, fans need to realize the current way of tailgating is going to be pushed out by the league. Especially with how things are going with fans in places like Buffalo, last thing the league and teams want are lawsuits for injuries after someone is paralyzed after going through a table. Plus the league makes nothing off of the current tailgate setups, but they can make some money having sponsored 'tailgate zones' at stadiums where you can get cheap beer from the venue's sponsor and some food in a controlled area

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

The government shouldn't be in favor. These giant stadiums are just money pits.

Since libraries got brought recently they have a better economic impact than a football stadium

But it's how it's done. They get pitched on the 'economic impact' of what a stadium will bring to the area, and tax dollars, and other things that make politicians get excited......

[Scottysabres]

4 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

If the results are building new they should build them together on a single piece of land, even connected, or one giant facility with both housed within, sharing parking space. Easier said then done, finding a piece of land that makes sense.

The land isn't really the issue, procurement for a project of this size has more than enough areas, the Buffalo/Niagara region hasn't had a major sprawl buildout....yet.

The real issue will be state and local funding. Personally, I believe a combined mega facility is in order, state of the art, cutting edge. And I believe it should reap benefits of a Federal infrastructure funding, to merge public transportation with it.