Gov. Kathy Hochul says New York will support a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park if that’s the team’s preference.
The Buffalo News reports Hochul answered a question about the proposed $1.4 billion stadium, which will be largely funded by the state’s taxpayers, during a press event about Covid-19 at the Wyoming County Community Health System in Warsaw.
“We are very intently focused on keeping the Bills here,” Hochul said Monday. “If Orchard Park’s their first choice – their only choice, it’s Orchard Park – we’ll make it all happen. So we’re very excited about announcing a deal hopefully in the near future.”
Hochul added that state officials avoided advocating for a preferred location to prevent complications in the decision-making process.
A feasibility study released last month backed the Bills’ proposal to build a new 60,000-seat stadium in one of two sites: In downtown Buffalo or across the street from its current home in Orchard Park. Orchard Park would cost about $1.354 billion, while downtown Buffalo would require $750 million in additional funding to acquire land and make necessary infrastructure upgrades.
According to the Buffalo News, the Bills have previously said it would prefer Orchard Park because it would be cheaper and faster for building a new stadium.
“If their desire is Orchard Park, it’s Orchard Park,” Hochul said. “We’ve never said otherwise.”
Multinational engineering and consulting firm AECOM recommended against renovating the existing 48-year-old Highmark Stadium, projecting it would cost about $862 million. AECOM cites “a tipping point” when the cost of renovations exceed 60% of building a new facility.
The Bills’ lease on their current stadium will expire in July 2023, making now the time to reach a financing agreement. The NFL team, owned by the Pegulas, expects taxpayers will be asked to cover more than half of the cost. If a deal isn’t reached, the threat of relocation is a possibility — even though it has not been raised in talks.