Majority of New Yorkers Oppose Providing $850M For Bills Stadium

A deal to secure funding for a new stadium in Buffalo appears imminent, and most New Yorkers aren’t happy about it. 

A new poll found that the idea of providing $850 million in public funds for a new Buffalo Bills venue is unpopular, with 22% approving against 55% opposed. The remaining 23% declined to give an opinion.

Buffalo residents, however, would be happy to see the project go forward — by a margin of 58% to 31%.

• New York Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a deal on Monday in which the state would chip in $600 million on top of $250 million from Erie County. 
• The state would also be on the hook for $100 million over 15 years in maintenance and repairs, plus $180 million over 30 years in capital improvements. 

Hochul stirred controversy with a plan to use $418 million from a settlement with the Seneca Nation over casino revenue to help fund the stadium.

Florida Connection

While team owners Kim and Terry Pegula will have to cover the balance of the stadium project, it’s unclear how much they will be contributing through their tax dollars. 

The Bills owners spend much of their time living in Florida and have voted there since 2007, according to the New York Post.

Hochul’s husband, Bill Hochul, is an executive at Delaware North, which operates concessions at the Bills’ current Highmark Stadium and reportedly stands to benefit financially from the new stadium deal.