Bob Duffy named chair of the Erie County Stadium Corporation, holds vote on home of Buffalo Bills
Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Duffy has been appointed chair/director of the Erie County Stadium Corporation, an entity of Empire State Development, which voted unanimously on Monday, January 23, 2023 to approve the framework for the new Bills stadium project deal, including a 30-year lease and community benefits agreement, or CBA.
Included in the CBA is a three-million-dollar a-year commitment to the community by the Bills, a requirement that Erie County and the Bills work in good faith to expand public transportation to the stadium, and a goal of having 30% of the retailers, vendors, and service companies used in the stadium for maintenance and operations by women or minority business enterprises. There will also be a nine-person community benefit oversight committee.
Bob Duffy said, "Greater Rochester Chamber extends its thanks to everyone involved in the process, especially Western NY-native Governor Kathy Hochul. The Buffalo Bills are part of the fabric of our entire Upstate community. Arriving at an agreement that keeps them in our area while improving opportunities and equity is something we can all be proud of."