Assemblyman Pat Burke (D-Buffalo) announced that he introduced legislation requiring the advisory committee tasked with determining potential sites for a new Buffalo Bills stadium to follow the state’s open meetings law (A.8261).

“Western New Yorkers should not be shut out of the process to determine the future of the Buffalo Bills,” Burke said. “We’ve already invested significantly to keep the Bills at home, including $95 million in state and county funds for improvements to the team’s Orchard Park stadium, and shown we’re willing to be a partner in continuing this storied tradition in Western New York. With the vast amount of public funding involved and the team’s crucial economic and cultural impact on our region, discussions on constructing a new stadium or additional renovations at the current stadium should be open and transparent to taxpayers.”

The New Stadium Working Group, an advisory committee created under the Erie County Stadium Corporation, has been tasked with determining potential sites for building a new stadium and exploring the feasibility of making additional renovations to the team’s current Ralph Wilson Stadium. Burke’s legislation would require this committee and any working group, subcommittee, advisory committee or subsidiary of the Erie County Stadium Corporation created by its lease with Erie County to follow the open meetings law other governmental bodies must follow to ensure the public has access to proceedings.

Burke is committed to helping keep the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park while ensuring taxpayers do not bear an unfair burden to achieve this goal. As a Buffalo native, Burke understands the importance and value the Bills hold to residents and the region’s economy. He will continue serving as the voice of Western New Yorkers in discussions about the team’s future in Buffalo.