Bills agree to new lease at Ralph Wilson Stadium
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The Buffalo Bills are staying in Western New York.
The team announced Friday that it had reached an agreement with Erie County and the state on a 10-year lease at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
"The Buffalo Bills are a central part of the cultural, economic, and of the entire Western part of New York State, and the state has never wavered in our commitment to keeping the Bills a thriving part of the Buffalo community," Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Under the agreement, the Bills are committed to remain in Buffalo for at least seven years, regardless of ownership.
According to the Buffalo News, a hefty relocation penalty is built into the agreement. The franchise will have to pay $400 million if it leaves before 2020. In the final three years of the contract, the fee would only be $29 million.
The deal also features a total of $130 million that will be devoted to upgrading a venue that opened in 1973. The Bills will contribute $35 million to the cause. The state and county will share the remaining $95 million renovation costs, with $54 million coming from the state and $41 million from the county.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The renovations will be centered around improving the fan experience, including new video display boards on the stadium's east end and the creation of a new west end plaza.