Buffalo Bills Stadium: One Step Closer To Finalized Deal

It's crazy to think that there isn't a finalized deal for the Buffalo Bills' new stadium yet.  But they took one more step closer to getting it done today.

Get our free mobile app

Today was the day that the Erie County Legislature would give their thumbs up or thumbs down for the final approval of the plan for a new Bills stadium.  Last month, they were given the results of a study set to determine if the new stadium would have a significant adverse impact on the environment.  It's called the SEQR or the State Environmental Quality Review Act.

Along with the law firm Philips Lytle, the county presented its findings in December to the Erie County Legislature that it would NOT have a significant impact on the environment.  The Legislature agreed and gave it the thumbs up today.

The study showed that not only would the new stadium have no negative impact on human health, animals, and plants but it would make it better.  The newer technology and better building practices that they didn't have 50 years ago when they built the current stadium will actually make the stadium more efficient and better for the environment.

It's one of just a few more hurdles that the planning board will have to jump before they can start working on the project.  Governor Hochul insists that it will get done.

“We are so close to being done. It does take a long time, but it's going to happen.”  - Governor Kathy Hochul

Now, there is a new 30-day "exclusivity period" to complete the final details.

The biggest hurdle so far has been the CBA or the Community Benefits Agreement.  It's defined as "the commitments to be made by the parties that will ensure the new stadium will benefit not only the team but all segments of the local community including the historically underserved communities in the County."

As it stands right now, all parties involved in the negotiations seem confident that a final deal will be set very soon.