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Thread: Amherst Pepsi Center lands hockey tournament

  1. #1
    Member steven's Avatar
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    Amherst Pepsi Center lands hockey tournament

    The Amherst Pepsi Center will be the center of youth hockey in 2008, after landing a week-long tournament.

    A bid crafted by the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau, Amherst Youth Hockey and the Amherst Pepsi Center will bring the Tier I and Tier II Boys 16 and 18 & Under USA Hockey Championships to the four-rink complex April 2 to 6, 2008.

    http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/s...ml?jst=b_ln_hl
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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Should Amherst privatize its Northtown Center ice rinks complex or expand it?

    The four ice rinks of Northtown Center at Amherst either lose hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, or break even.

    The facility's operating costs are covered by revenue, mainly from renting out ice time to hockey teams.

    But it runs a deficit of about $800,000 due to debt service payments from when the complex was built in 1998 on Maple Road near the University at Buffalo.

    That has Supervisor Barry A. Weinstein raising the prospect of turning the ice rinks over to private operators, like the town has done with other public facilities during his seven-year tenure. But, he acknowledges, it won't happen this year – the final year of his last term.
    http://buffalonews.com/2017/02/14/de...ime=1487076245

  3. #3
    Member leftWNYbecauseofBS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident View Post
    Should Amherst privatize its Northtown Center ice rinks complex or expand it?
    Expand it.

    I am sure there are numbers for the 5th rink but what they really need is a hotel with a small retail complex. For the hotel, focus it on families as that would not only sell for the 13,690 rooms booked for hockey but also UB.

    In that retail complex you include:

    1 - Tim Hortons
    1 - 1 Sports Bar
    1 - Family Burger Joint
    1 - Entertainment option for kids like an arcade


    I understand what Weinstein is saying but he is just looking at debt payments and not economic stimulus. Those $1.35 million in debt payments help bring in the $15.5 million economic impact on the region....which almost all inside of Amherst.

    Follow the lead of Pegula. Build the whole complex and take a cut of everything in the process.



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  4. #4
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    What is your opinion on should it be privately owned or ran by the town?

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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident View Post
    What is your opinion on should it be privately owned or ran by the town?
    Neither.

    I think it should be owned by the town but run by a private company. I think Weinstein should pick up the phone and call someone at Delaware North and make a deal.

    If the town can manage the actual facilities better and/or needs a greater level of control for town programs...so be it. But towns should not be in the hotel/retail business. They should treat this project similar to how national parks manage hotels inside of the park. The hotel belongs to the park but providers bid on the rights to manage it. WNY just happens to be home to one of the largest companies that do this.

    As for the hotel, I don't think Amherst should pay for the construction either. They should do a land lease over a long term with some protective clauses. Should be noted that the location of the hotel would not only be right next to a hockey complex that brings in people but it would also be the only walking distance hotel to UB stadium and the North Campus. Essentially it would have almost no trouble with occupancy due to the proximity to UB.

    Weinstein and the TOA needs to realize the 'value in the dirt' and leverage the location to pull this off. There is a deal to be had that not only improves the facilities but also brings in even more revenue to the town. Enough that I feel would clear the outstanding loan without an additional penny from the taxpayer.

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    So why should towns not be in the hotel/retail business but it's ok to be in the sports entertainment business?

    Where do you draw the line to which businesses a town should subsidize and run instead of the private sector?


    As for the hotel, I don't think Amherst should pay for the construction either.
    I agree

    As for the hotel, I don't think property owners of any town/city should pay for the construction either.

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    Member leftWNYbecauseofBS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident View Post
    So why should towns not be in the hotel/retail business but it's ok to be in the sports entertainment business?

    Where do you draw the line to which businesses a town should subsidize and run instead of the private sector?
    This is not a sports/entertainment business. It's an aspect of the parks and rec department that just happens to drive a lot of spin off business. It's no different than a golf course outside of the success of the demand for it.

    The Pepsi Center is considered an asset to the TOA and many residents place a very high value on it. It's used by all 3 school districts in the town, in addition to, the Amherst Youth Hockey org...which is very large and influential. It's also used by the University of Buffalo..which is also a TOA resident. It was previously used by the Buffalo Sabres but that changed when Harbor Center was built.

    The main reason why Amherst has a complex like this compared to just a rink is because it's the largest town in the region that's home to high income families. These families in WNY tend to gravitate towards hockey as it's a pretty expensive sport.


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