ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — With the report that came out on Tuesday sharing new details about the plans for a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills, 2 On Your Side wanted to get your thoughts about the plans.
Here are some of the opinions we heard at practice on Wednesday.
- “I like it out here, for sure, definitely out here instead of like in the city.”
- “I feel like it should be just like this. This is beautiful.”
- “The smaller thing, I feel like that’s going to cause more problems, especially with the pandemic and everything going on.”
- “I’ve been to games any time of the season. It really doesn’t matter to me whether it’s indoor or outdoor.”
- “I’m kind of surprised that you know everyone says it’s going to be an open-aired stadium. Don’t you think that if they’re going to make a new stadium they should make a dome?”
It seems everyone has an opinion about the Bills stadium situation, but for the latest on what the Pegulas are looking for, we went to the reporter who broke the story for the Associated Press on Tuesday, John Wawrow.
“The PSE is looking for a majority of this project being funded, more than 50 percent of this project, being funded by taxpayers,” Wawrow said.
The latest plans, as reported by the Associated Press, show a new stadium next to the current one with a price tag of $1.4 billion. The proposal is for a 60,000-seat stadium, which is 12,000 seats smaller than Highmark Stadium.
“I think that really does fit into what the future of the NFL is going to be, especially with a franchise this small where there’s not always going to be a demand especially in the later months of December and January and after Thanksgiving of a higher demand of seats," Wawrow said.
"So I think the 60,000-seat range is about right because you can keep the stadium full if the team is good, if the team is not good, and if the weather becomes really inclement.”
Wawrow says he likes the idea of some sort of roof covering.
“I think the 60,000-seat stadium and the way it might be designed may accommodate other sporting events such as a major league, I’m not saying Buffalo’s going to get a major league soccer team, but I think to have exhibition games and attract international events like that, I think it will get that,” Wawrow said.
A spokesperson for the Governor’s Office told 2 On Your Side on Wednesday, “her administration looks forward to sharing details with the public as soon as negotiations are completed.”