Earlier this month, reports indicated that NFL CommissionerPaul Tagliabue asked Bills Owner Ralph Wilson to consider playingsome league games at SkyDome in Toronto. But officials of ErieCounty, which owns and operates Rich Stadium, plan to sign theBills to a new lease after their current lease expires in '98 andhave a $23M renovation of Rich Stadium already in progress, whichwill add 14 new luxury boxes. The team does have a friendlylease, good luxury seating, and one of the largest capacities ofany NFL stadiums. Today, we continue to examine our State of theStadiums with a profile of Rich Stadium in Buffalo.
| STADIUM: | Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, NY |
| AGE: | Completed in 1971. |
| OWNERSHIP: | Owned by Erie County, New York |
| CAPACITY: | 80,091 — 2nd highest in the NFL. |
| NAMING RIGHTS: | Bills paid an undisclosed amount for naming rights from Rich Products, a family-owned company in New York, agreement runs through 1998. |
| LUXURY SEATS: | 88 suites — 1,000 enclosed club seats — owned and operated by the Bills. |
| GAME-DAY: | Team pays for all game-day personnel. |
| MAINTENANCE: | Team handles routine maintenance. City pays for extensive strutural repair. |
| CONCESSIONS: | Ogden Food Services, team splits % of net revenue 50/50 with the county. |
| ADVERTISING: | Team receives all advertising revenue. |
| PARKING: | 12,500 spots at $7, revenue split 50/50 with county. |
| LEASE: | Expires at the end of 1998. |
| RENT: | $660,298 — 6th lowest in NFL. |
(Source: Buffalo Bills; rent figure from Florida Times-Unionarticle on July 24, 1994.)
