BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Time continues to tick as it's assumed the new Buffalo Bills stadium will be placed in Orchard Park while others hope the Bills will be placed in Downtown Buffalo.
One proposal would put the new stadium in the Cobblestone District at the corner of South Park and Louisiana, just down the street from Keybank Center.
The co-founder of Bills in Buffalo, Ryan Miller, won't give up his fight.
"It's the fact that taxpayers are paying for this. So the Pegulas, the owners of the Bills, are reportedly asking nearly a Billion dollars in taxpayers' funding from the state," Miller says. "As well as Erie County to finance a stadium in Orchard Park. It's estimated to be $1.4 billion, and the city of Buffalo is the third poorest city in the country."
Miller believes the stadium should be placed in the South Park area located by the Perry projects.
He says the money would be greatly invested for the better.
"It has always been a stay in the suburbs or we stay in the city, and we move from the suburbs back into the city into the core of the city have only been done once before," he says.
Miller says the South Park site won't displace anyone. Instead, it'll revive struggling neighborhoods and bring more traffic to the Canalside.
"Everybody was so up and arms about displacement, but what are we going to do for the people that live here when the stadium goes to Orchard Park," Miller says. "They're just an after thought so to me in some ways they're kind of a pond in the overall negotiation process."
The owner of Carol-Jeff Barber Shop, Jerry Daniels, sides with Miller and says a downtown stadium will boost the economy.
We have so many things to offer, and it'll bring other things that we have to offer like other businesses, restaurants, even barbershops," Daniels says.
Daniels expressed he likes the idea of investing in the stadium if placed in the city as opposed to Orchard Park.
"Because I see the return on it as opposed to investing in another city which we don't see the revenue or return," he says.
But others will stand firm with wherever the team will be placed.
"I'm a Bills fan," says Smith Morris. "I want to see them here so I'm willing to pay the price."
Governor Kathy Hochul hasn't announced if the stadium will be included in the New York State budget.
Miller hopes he and others would be heard since he sent letters to the county and legislatures on why the stadium would benefit many in the city.
See below for Miller's proposal to having the stadium in Downtown Buffalo as well as the letter to the county and legislatures:
