V3 Thesis Abstract

“Keep up with modern facilities if you want to remain in Buffalo”. – Roger Goodell NFL Commissioner. With the lease of the current Buffalo Bills stadium coming to an end after the 2023 season, there is little doubt that a new stadium is envisioned for the Bills in the near future. The current stadium, New Era Field, opened in 1972 and is one of the oldest stadiums in the NFL still in use. While only used 8 games a season, there is a large financial gain for the local business at each game. Outside of those 8 games, it is an empty structure. This stadium represents the history of the Bills and the NFL. There has been triumph and tragic loss experienced in those seats and there would be more than one Bills fan wanting to hold onto that history as this team means so much to the community and its identity especially if the stadium were to move downtown as many of the current concepts are leaning towards. There is a special bond that the fans of Buffalo have with their team and it would be a benefit to the community of Orchard Park to both maintain that history as well as expand on it.

With the future stadium of the Bills likely being moved from the current complex in Orchard Park, the town has a conundrum of what to do with the old stadium once the main tenant moves out. Do they knock it down or can it be repurposed? With so much history for the town and the city of Buffalo, it would be a great loss to the community to lose. My thesis aims to not only save this history of Orchard Park, but also serve as a “Blueprint” for other communities that have stadiums that are empty, or going to be, to have a guideline as to the steps and process at which to repurpose the structure for the benefit of the community.

A small portion of the old stadium in buffalo (the rockpile) was kept to hold on to the history of the early days of the Buffalo Bills.