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A32 sports
Diamars 2 November 2021

Bills seek new stadium funding deal in place by end of year

cials to help finance a pro- it is her intention to have a ysis in selecting the Orchard
posed $1.4 billion, 60,000- deal in place in time for the Park site because it was the
plus seat stadium to be built budget. most cost-effective, and built
across the street from their on a parking lot the team al-
existing 48-year-old facility “The timeline is one that will ready controls. A downtown
in Orchard Park. And yet, the accomplish my overall ob- location is projected to cost
threat of the team relocating jective, which is to keep the nearly an extra $1 billion in
remains a possibility even Buffalo Bills in Buffalo,” Ho- part due to necessary infra-
though it has not been raised chul told reporters in New structure upgrades.
in talks. York City.
The Bills ruled out further
The time crunch is becom- “There’ll be plenty of time to renovations because they
ing an issue as the Bills seek get the job done. The Buffalo would prove too costly.
clarity on their long-term Bills know there’s a com-
future while also saying they mitment, a shared effort to A state-funded study in 2014
have no interest in renewing finance this,” she added. “So estimated the next series of
(AP) — Though the Buf- the lease once it expires at the it is very positive right now.” renovations would cost $540
falo Bills’ lease on their “We’ve pushed this back end of July 2023. million, with a majority of
current stadium doesn’t from our initial timeline to Unresolved is how much the work dedicated to essen-
expire for 21 more accommodate Gov. Hochul Having a deal in place by Jan- public money the state and tially rebuilding the entire
months, time is running and her getting up to speed,” uary would allow Hochul to county will commit, with the third deck. That cost is pro-
short on the team reach- he added, referring to Kathy include stadium funding in Bills anticipating that taxpay- jected to be much higher in
ing a financing agreement Hochul, who took over when her budget proposal for ap- ers be requested to bear more today’s dollars.
with public officials on its Andrew Cuomo resigned in proval in April. With Hochul than 50% of the cost.
proposal to build a new August after an investigation up for election next fall, it’s Raccuia was encouraged
facility. concluded he sexually ha- unlikely she will have time Negotiations are on hold from the feedback the Bills
rassed 11 women. “But we’re for negotiations while cam- until the state completes its received in presenting their
“If we get to January and all in alignment that we want paigning. own stadium feasibility study, stadium plans at the NFL
there’s no new deal done, this deal done by the end of which Hochul said is ex- owners meetings in New
you should really be con- the year.” The Bills, meanwhile, are pected to be released within York City last week.
cerned,” Pegula Sports and concerned they might have days. The study will assess
Entertainment executive What happens beyond that is go back to square one in ne- the costs of building a new He described negotiations
vice president Ron Raccuia uncertain. gotiations should there be stadium either at the Bills’ with public officials as being
told The Associated Press another change in governor. proposed suburban location productive and collaborative.
over the weekend. PSE is the Bills officials have main- or downtown, versus reno-
Bills’ parent company, with tained they are solely focused Hochul, who is from Buf- vating the existing facility. “The parties are getting along
Raccuia overseeing stadium on reaching an agreement falo, is well aware of the time well,” Raccuia said. “We still
negotiations. with state and county offi- constraints, saying last week The Bills did their own anal- have a long way to go.”

Bob Melvin gets 3-year contract to manage Padres

(AP) — The San Diego Pa- Bob showed our group a true evident how he’s been able to is the right man to take our
dres announced the hiring Melvin was hired away from love of baseball and a natu- bring out the best in his play- talented group and help them
of Bob Melvin as manag- the Oakland Athletics, where ral presence to lead,” Preller ers throughout his manageri- deliver a championship to the
er on Monday, bringing a he was 853-764 in 11 sea- added. “It was immediately al career. We believe that Bob city of San Diego.”
veteran presence to an ex- sons. He also managed the
citing team that imploded Seattle Mariners and Arizona
down the stretch. Diamondbacks and is 1,346-
1,272 overall.
Melvin takes his 18 years of
big league managerial experi- He won the AL Manager of
ence to a team where his two the Year twice with the A’s
predecessors had no experi- and once with the Diamond-
ence as a major league skip- backs.
per before they were hired.
Melvin, 60, signed a three- Melvin has led his teams to
year contract. seven postseason appearances
and four division titles. By
He inherits a team that had comparison, the Padres have
five All-Stars — including been to the postseason only
Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny six times since their inaugu-
Machado and Jake Cronen- ral season of 1969.
worth — but underper-
formed after the trade dead- The Padres were set to intro-
line and finished with a los- duce Melvin at a late morn-
ing record for the 10th time ing news conference.
in 11 seasons.
“Bob is one of the top man-
Melvin replaces Jayce Tin- agers in the game and brings
gler, who was fired after the a tremendous wealth of
worst collapse in team his- knowledge and a proven
tory dropped the Padres from track record to win at the
a one-game lead for the NL’s major league level,” general
second wild-card spot on manager A.J. Preller said in a
Sept. 9 to elimination with statement.
more than a week left in the
season. “Throughout the process,