Buffalo is becoming known as the art capital of North America. Who else has had more "artist renditions" than us over the last 30 years? The new Peace Bridge, the 12 new proposed Convention Centers, the new casino, the new South Bflo library, and now the new waterfront stadium. The first sign that a project isn't going to get off the ground is when some politician shows up at a Council meeting with pictures. Mickey Kearns is famous for this. If he wasn't already known throughout the area as the King of all Studies, he could easily be the King of the artist rendition.
Two gentlemen showed up at a Buffalo Common Council meeting the other day with an artist rendition of the new $1.4 Billion stadium for the Outer Harbor. The second red flag, besides the silly photos, is the fact that they showed up at the Council Chambers. Is there a more irrelevant group to a $1.4 Billion project than the Buffalo Common Council? They might has well have shown up at a local Burger King and pitched their idea to random customers. They would have about as much influence as the Council in a project this big.
The whole thing was just a publicity stunt. Brian Higgins, the NFL, and Mark Poloncarz have all spoken out against putting a stadium there. And I agree. The people want access to the water. Tear down my neighborhood and put the stadium there, if they want to build a stadium. Put the 50 yard line in my living room. I'd be the first to sell. In any event, as I said yesterday, the area should not be bullied by the NFL. If the current stadium (Rich Stadium) is good enough for the average fan, it should be good enough for the NFL. I love football, but do not like the NFL putting a gun to the head of an entire region.
Interestingly, while I'm not a football fan, I have a polar opposite opinion on this: I think it's a good move.
ReplyDeleteThey did need to approach the council, because the land is owned by the NFTA, and being ceded to Buffalo; who will hand it over to the Harbor Development Corporation, or hang onto it.
If all this project needs to get off the ground is a promise for the land sale to line up the other ducks, I'm all for it.
And, funny enough, my last article was about the same topic too :)