ORCHARD PARK - Ralph Wilson Stadium (73,967)

[eMKay]

Originally Posted by mrakbaseball

What are the odds the Bills leave Buffalo for Los Angeles?

There is already an ownership group in place to take over. There are actually two, and they will be competing. Both of them intend to keep the team where it is.

[eMKay]

Originally Posted by nyrmetros

No fans stormed the field in victory? Mehh....

Yeah, they did but not many. It's not like they clinched the division or anything.

[will101]

Originally Posted by FloridaKnight

Its funny because I'd say the Chargers & Vikings are probably likelier targets logistically with crumbling stadiums/leases and no clear plans for new stadiums. But of course Jacksonville always gets brought up as a target even though we've been selling out the past year and have a great stadium/lease situation. Our owner has also reiterated his resolve to keep the Jags in Jacksonville time and time again. The idea of the Jags as being a prime candidate for relocation is a crock cooked up by the national media.

Funny you should say that. Both San Diego and the Twin Cities area are working hard, and making some progress on new stadiums, so the chances of them moving are diminished somewhat. Which means the 'crocks' are not so much the national media, as dueling local ones.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by FloridaKnight

Its funny because I'd say the Chargers & Vikings are probably likelier targets logistically with crumbling stadiums/leases and no clear plans for new stadiums. But of course Jacksonville always gets brought up as a target even though we've been selling out the past year and have a great stadium/lease situation. Our owner has also reiterated his resolve to keep the Jags in Jacksonville time and time again. The idea of the Jags as being a prime candidate for relocation is a crock cooked up by the national media.

It's true.

I'd say the Jags are about 4th or 5th on the list.... There had been reports on ESPN this past August stating that the Chargers and Raiders were the frontrunners. Which makes more sense since Jacksonville's lease wont end for another decade and all three curent NFL stadiums in Cali are complete trash, worst in the League.

[xzmattzx]

I'll be at this stadium this Sunday when the Eagles come to town! I'm looking forward to seeing one of the few old stadiums in the league.

[eMKay]

The Ralph is going to be getting a significant upgrade, it's still very early in the planning but they are talking about new concourses and exterior

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bi...icle601613.ece

[FloridaKnight]

Originally Posted by eMKay

The Ralph is going to be getting a significant upgrade, it's still very early in the planning but they are talking about new concourses and exterior

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bi...icle601613.ece

Very much needed, I'd say. I actually love the bowl design and how close it is to the field and what not, but from the outside it looked like a college stadium. (& actually there are plenty of college stadiums that look way better aesthetically than Ralph Wilson)

[RMB2007]

Erm, any pics of the current concourses? Oh, is there a need to increase the current capacity?

[en1044]

Good. Keep 'em in Buffalo.

[eMKay]

Originally Posted by FloridaKnight

Very much needed, I'd say. I actually love the bowl design and how close it is to the field and what not, but from the outside it looked like a college stadium. (& actually there are plenty of college stadiums that look way better aesthetically than Ralph Wilson)

Yes, nothing wrong with the bowl, other than I think the new suites between the lower bowl and club level look tacked on, I always thought they should just ripo out the upper decks, and the club level, rebuild those closer to the field and enclose all the concourses. The stadium is mostly underground, the only thing visible from street level are the upper decks. All the concourses except those that run directly under the upper deck are out in the open. So maybe they will enclose them? Who knows, I'll post renders as soon as they are made available.

[eMKay]

Originally Posted by RMB2007

Erm, any pics of the current concourses? Oh, is there a need to increase the current capacity?

There is no need to increase capacity, it's already one of the largest in the NFL. It was reduced when the lower bowl benches were replaced with seats and the lower bowl suites added. I expect if they replace all the rest of the original 1972 benches with seats capacity will be further reduced, maybe to 70,000? I can't find any decent ones online, never bothered to take pics of them while there either. Under the upper deck they are typical of 1970's stadiums, kinda narrow, not too bad, in the ends they are paved pathways outside, they ramp down from street level to the top of the lower bowl. Actually I do have a pic that shows what they are like in the ends, I took this during the Winter Classic...

[eMKay]

This is all you can see from street level, the upper decks and the enzone suites and clubs. Back in the 80's and early 90's it was just the upper decks and the scoreboard. I expect all of this will be enclosed, maybe something similar to Lambeau Field's upgrade?

[skobabe8]

That's really interesting. It looks nothing like a typical gigantic NFL stadium from the parking lots.

[eMKay]

Latest news, Bills are open to the new lease tying the team to Buffalo. But they are looking for "significant" improvements. Populous is evaluating the current stadium now, maybe this will turn into a new stadium instead of a rebuild! I mean rebuilding the current one makes a lot of sense of course, it's a great stadium, but isn't our love for stadiums the reason we all are in this part of SSC? Nothing better than watching a new one get built.

http://www.buffalonews.com/incoming/article612849.ece

[eMKay]

Overhead shot, from today, and hour before the Bills got waxed. Taken by my wife, from my plane.

[eMKay]

Interesting idea

http://www.buffalorising.com/2012/03...ium-seats.html

[eMKay]

Populous has proposed 3 different options, a new stadium ($800,000,000 and up) A "retrofit" similar to what Kansas City did for $450,000,000 to $500,000,000. And a renovation for a minimum of $200,000,000. The Bills are leaning toward the cheapest option because the other two options would mean raising ticket prices and being forced to sell PSL's, the team does not want to do that. There are no pictures or renders yet but there won't be many inside changes as Populous has agreed The Ralph has the best sightlines in the NFL. So the renovation will be structural, and mostly outside.

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/article811352.ece

[GunnerJacket]

It's a shame that the mid-range option appears to be off the table, as well. I can envision where a major reworking of everything but the main bowl and the upper tiers could yield a tremendous venue. And would likely stand up for a long-time. Hopefully the investments made with the low-end option prove worth while, because Buffalo indeed has some great fans.

Also, after reading that article, what's up with this need to "see" the game while fetching burgers and Cokes? It's not like you can truly see the field from the concession stand and there are TV's a plenty in most venues anyway, so why take away space that can go towards more seating and to trap sound rather than open it up so people can see the bowl while standing in line?

[eMKay]

Originally Posted by GunnerJacket

It's a shame that the mid-range option appears to be off the table, as well. I can envision where a major reworking of everything but the main bowl and the upper tiers could yield a tremendous venue. And would likely stand up for a long-time. Hopefully the investments made with the low-end option prove worth while, because Buffalo indeed has some great fans.

Also, after reading that article, what's up with this need to "see" the game while fetching burgers and Cokes? It's not like you can truly see the field from the concession stand and there are TV's a plenty in most venues anyway, so why take away space that can go towards more seating and to trap sound rather than open it up so people can see the bowl while standing in line?

Yeah I agree, a renovation like at Arrowhead and Lambeau would have been awesome, but they haven't agreed on anything yet, we'll see.

As for the open concourse idea, it's cool and the latest trend, but retrofitting it into an existing stadium? Overkill IMHO

[eMKay]

Check this out...

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/art...1-80c185a38686