Buffalo Bills Agree One-Year Lease Extension on Stadium

September 12, 2012

NFL team, Buffalo Bills has agreed in principle to a one-year lease extension with the Erie County that would allow the team to continue playing at Ralph Wilson Stadium next season.

County executive Mark Poloncarz announced the agreement Wednesday after Bills CEO Russ Brandon raised concerns about the lack of progress in negotiations to reach a long-term deal, and with the current lease set to expire July 31. Poloncarz said the agreement was reached after he and Brandon spoke on Monday.

“Nobody wants to have a gun at their heads thinking if we don’t get it done by the end of the season then what’s going to happen,” Poloncarz said. “By doing an extension, it guarantees the Bills are here for the full 2013 season, and it gives us ample time during the next 18 months or so to continue these negotiations.”

The announcement came after Brandon went public by informing The Buffalo News that negotiations had stalled in a story published Wednesday morning. Brandon then repeated his concerns in an interview with The Associated Press.