Boca Raton, Texas, and Failed Leadership

By Pat Freeman, The Mighty O’Ba

Snow clearing at Highmark Stadium prior to Bills-Steelers game

The President and owner of the professional football franchise in Western New York has succeeded in one thing since purchasing our beloved Bills, and that is to continue to intimidate the elected leadership to do exactly what he wants. This new stadium will only continue to be a problem that has been in this region for an exceptionally long time.

Pat Freeman, The Mighty O’Ba

This region has intimidated elected officials, who pretend that they are battling in your best interest, but really are not. Most recently the weather forced the NFL to move the date of a playoff game because we have an outdated open-air stadium, which sits in the middle of the snow belt. There is also extraordinarily little ancillary development that has ever been done around the stadium that would enhance the game or year-round experience. Once we get into the winter season, you are forced to face this reality.

Can you imagine paying NFL playoff money to arrive at a facility covered in snow with no option to sit or walk up the steps? This is what your owner, state and county representatives presented to you on Monday, January 15, at 4:30 p.m. at Highmark Stadium. It was dangerous and only self-serving to the NFL elite that only cares about money. The owner even released a statement on X saying how much he was thankful to all your support and how nice it was to see you throwing snow in the air every time the Bills scored.

He failed to mention that they also had to threaten to remove fans who were sending snowballs at the field and around the stadium hitting people in the face. This is our Boca Raton owner who continues his practice of segregated economics right in front of elected officials, who are afraid to confront his discriminatory economic practices in front of them.

Most recently, the developer of the stadium, Turner Gilbane, has stated that they reached 35-40% in minority participation, but has failed to have this claim verified by the state or county government, or the committee tasked to make sure these claims are valid.

Only a few of us will continue to tell the truth behind these unethical policies that continue to burden the taxpayer. Little has been heard from those who have sworn to uphold our interest.