The Bills bought three acres of property in Orchard Park where they want to "construct an outdoor practice field," but the team "doesn't want to pay taxes on the land," according to a front-page piece by Sandra Tan of the BUFFALO NEWS. Instead, the Bills want the property "rolled into the 197-acre stadium complex already owned by Erie County, which includes New Era Field, the Bills' Field House and other practice facilities." Legislators "question why Erie County should own any more property for the Bills." The team said that its "investment in the practice field -- not the taxes -- should be the focus." The Bills, who currently have one outdoor practice field, are preparing to spend $4.5M to build the new field. The team "purchased property south of the Field House and adjacent to the existing outdoor practice field so it can build a second one." The Bills would "pay for the construction of the new field, while the county would pay for the realignment as part of its annual capital improvements allowance." The Erie County Stadium Corporation, a subsidiary of Empire State Development, "approved the lease modification last month" (BUFFALO NEWS, 3/22).
