ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The construction on Abbott Road in Orchard Park is proof that the Bills are betting big.
And while they’re still two years away from completion, they’re already starting to make moves to cash in.
The Bills confirmed to 2 On Your Side Thursday that they have taken the first steps to bring the NFL Draft to their future home in Orchard Park, submitting an official request of interest to host the event in 2028 or 2029.
Don Lorentz, the executive director of the Orchard Park Chamber of Commerce, said the impact of an NFL Draft could make Orchard Park a destination.
“Fabulous way for us to showcase what we have with the new facility,” he said. “That would be an unbelievable shot in the arm for all of Western New York, not just Orchard Park, but all of Western New York.”
But at the same time, he said Orchard Park is not yet equipped to handle one.
“The community of Orchard Park is not ready yet,” Lorentz said.
Last year's draft saw over 700,000 fans pack downtown Detroit, creating a sea of Honolulu Blue and bringing in over $200 million in economic impact to the city. The year before in Kansas City brought 312,000 fans with an impact of $164.3 million.
Eight cities have hosted the draft since it began traveling in 2015. Green Bay will host it in 2025, and Pittsburgh will in 2026.
Lorentz said he thinks a draft in Orchard Park could be even more successful than recent events.
“We have the ability to bring in Canada,” he said. “We have one of the strongest fan bases anywhere in the country.”
But it needs the infrastructure to handle it — and hotels, in particular, which Orchard Park has none of at the moment.
“If you go to Titletown, if you go to the Patriots’ field, they've embraced having some type of progress, which means having a hotel, maybe having some kind of retail center,” Lorentz said.
Many in Orchard Park want exactly that, but current zoning laws prohibit building over 2.5 stories. But in early October, the town board will hold a vote to potentially change that.
There’s no question the Bills are betting big with their new stadium, but how much they’ll be able to cash in on is up to the town they call home.
2 On Your Side attempted to contact the Orchard Park town supervisor’s office but did not hear back by the time of publication.