Even Before Just-Announced Mega-Handout, Super Wealthy Owners of Buffalo Bills Already Receiving Enormous State and Erie County Subsidies
Even Before Just-Announced Mega-Handout
Super Wealthy Owners of Buffalo Bills Already Receiving Enormous State and Erie County Subsidies
Since 2013
$122 million in NY State taxpayer subsidies
$115 million (2013 to 2021)
$7 million (2022 budgeted)
$77 million in Erie County taxpayer subsidies
Today, Governor Hochul announced that the state and Erie County will provide $850 million in taxpayer funds for the construction of a new Buffalo Bills stadium – more than 60% of the $1.4 billion cost.
$850 million for a stadium owned by billionaires is outrageous. But public funds for the Buffalo Bills are, unfortunately, nothing new – NYS funded 100% of the construction of Highmark Stadium in 1967, and since 2013, the state and Erie County have contributed a total of $192 million to the Bill’s owners for maintenance and operating expenses.
Reinvent Albany collated subsidies to the Bills owners from New York State and Erie County since 2013. Expenditures are spread out across multiple budgets, so the total may be higher. You can view the data here.
TOTAL PAYMENTS FOR BUFFALO BILLS SINCE 2013
TOTAL STATE PAYMENTS FOR BUFFALO BILLS HIGHMARK STADIUM SINCE 2013
In the state capital projects budget, Bills stadium expenses are listed as “services and expenses related to capital improvements at Ralph Wilson Stadium, including the payment of liabilities incurred prior to April 1, 2013. All or a portion of the funds appropriated hereby may be suballocated or transferred to any department, agency, or public authority.” In the Aid to Localities budget, they are listed as “services and expenses of contractual payments related to the retention of professional football in Western New York.”
TOTAL COUNTY PAYMENTS FOR BUFFALO BILLS HIGHMARK STADIUM SINCE 2013
