The Mighty O’Ba Sports Report: Closing of ECC South and The Buffalo Bills
By Pat Freeman, The Mighty O’Ba
Pat Freeman, The Mighty O’Ba
When Erie Community South announced that they will be looking for a more suitable location in the south towns area, my curiosity instincts began percolating, and I have suspected all along that the Bills will be constructing a destination near the stadium. Believe me, it makes all the sense in the world because you are building a new stadium amid truly little adequate commercial development.
Seeing the influence of Jerry Jones with this franchise, it makes sense. Why would you put a stadium in the middle of nowhere if an undisclosed plan for ancillary development is not to follow? The Bills alone are the number one drawing card in Western New York. It makes perfect sense to secure the new stadium deal, but also control all the surrounding land to create a year-round destination.
The problem is that our focus as a community stays two steps behind development. Now is the time for our elected officials to make sure that we are in the planning of this conversation, which I know has already begun. If you wait for them to announce the renderings of what they would like to do, I guarantee we will miss out yet again. Once you understand the major outside influence here is Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones, then you know this is coming down the pipe very quickly.
We must make a demand of economic inclusion on all projects that receive major tax benefits, and this will have a massive impact on Western New York. I guarantee it will include a new hotel and various other team attractions that will attract year-round revenue beyond the ten professional games a year. This will also signal the end of the Rochester training camp at St. John Fisher, for this development will become a major summertime attraction with various ancillary attractions that will increase the revenue of the current or future owner of the franchise.
It is coming, and will your leadership be ready for this battle or will they sit around and wait for all the plans to be announced?