Beyond the Xs and Os: Keeping the Bills in BuffaloState University of New York Press, 2019 M08 19 - 226 pages Beyond the Xs and Os is the previously unpublished story of how a long-term stadium lease was negotiated and signed by New York's Erie County, the state, and the Buffalo Bills football team. Mark C. Poloncarz, the elected executive of the community that owned the stadium, provides a rare glimpse into the long, difficult, but ultimately rewarding effort to successfully conclude negotiations between a National Football League (NFL) franchise, the NFL, and a multitude of players from the political arena, including Governor Andrew Cuomo and US Senator Chuck Schumer. Poloncarz discusses the financial side of sports and reveals how the county was able to navigate what proved to be often-turbulent waters. Complicating negotiations was an ongoing frenzy in the local news media, hungry for any news about the new lease, and Bills team owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr., who was ninety-two and had said the team would be sold upon his death, thereby possibly being relocated to another city. In the end, a new lease was signed and the Bills remained in Buffalo at a time when a number of similar sized communities watched their teams relocate to other cities in larger markets. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 8 | |
Chapter 3 The First Meeting | 13 |
Chapter 4 Finding the Right Team | 24 |
Chapter 5 Viability D P3 C | 34 |
Chapter 6 Enter Populous | 41 |
Chapter 7 G4 or 4G? | 50 |
Chapter 8 Should I Stay or Should I Go? | 57 |
Chapter 16 Well Those Were a Crazy Few Days | 107 |
Chapter 17 The 400Million Bomb | 116 |
Chapter 18 Detroit | 126 |
Chapter 19 Sandy and Troubles at Home | 139 |
Chapter 20 In the Red Zone | 143 |
Chapter 21 They Might as Well Go Now If That Is the Case | 149 |
Chapter 22 I Probably Just Lied to the Media | 154 |
Chapter 23 Touchdown | 168 |
Chapter 9 Percoco | 65 |
Chapter 10 The More Things Change the More They Remain the Same | 68 |
Chapter 11 At Least They Fed Us | 76 |
Chapter 12 The Letter | 83 |
Chapter 13 Thank God We Got Schumed | 89 |
Chapter 14 Its Pronounced Like the Bread | 94 |
Chapter 15 They Want a What? | 100 |
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Common terms and phrases
administration agreed amount announcement annual asked attending attorneys Bills Buffalo capital Chris close commitment completed conference construction continue contribute costs county executive County’s Cuomo deal discussed documents economic Erie County executive expected expenses facility fact final forward future going governments governor Howard important Irwin issues Jeff John knew lease lease negotiations looked major matter meeting Mike million morning move needed negotiations non-relocation agreement noted offer operating owner parties percent play position possible prepared presentation prior proposed question Ralph received regarding renovations representatives resolve response Rich Rich Tobe Russ scheduled season sent signed soon split stadium staff started State’s talks thanked thought told transaction walked wanted Wilson York