As the poll indicates. Would you support the Buffalo Sabres AHL affiliate team in Niagara Falls if a Civic Center were built?

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Who voted no?

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Well, I'll take a 4 to 1 margin, thats decent enough so far.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Since I live in the Falls now, I'd be all for this.

I'm just not sure what kind of support they'd get to keep them viable.

i voted no!

but why? nothing against the idea, i just dont like the idea of portland probably losing their AHL team.

also, niagara falls has a hard time supporting the OHL, the AHL is likely a pipe dream and nothing more.

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The problem is that when they play on the same nights as the sabres, their attendance is going to be garbage.

What they could do, which would be interesting, is have projectors show the sabres games on the walls so no one misses it, haha. Or is that not allowed? I know Clarkson used to project the TV feed on the walls for standing room fans that couldn't see too well.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

As much as I would love our AHL affiliate in the Falls, I don't think they'd survive. So I voted "no".

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mechaphil

What if an additional 12,000 middle class and executive level jobs were coming to the area over a 10 year period?
Would this be enough? Hey, I'm only one guy here, 12,000 potentials is as much as I could squeak out, if you have viable ideas on additional opportunities, don't hold back on me .

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Niagara is not a good spot for the AHL, they have no arena to support it and the fans barely support the Niagara Ice Dogs in the OHL.

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13

I think he's talking more about NF, NY, than Ontario.

Actually, no thinking about it involved, I can pretty much guarantee he's talking about the American city.

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mechaphil

He is. My use of 'think' there was pretty poor.

There will be enough support in the area. The idea is not only to employ those currently here, but to bring in more people. Stop the bleeding population wise, so to speak and actually have controlled growth in the area.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

My company is preparing to offer a 6,000 seat arena/civic center in Niagara Falls, New York. In this case, the arena is not the issue, it going to be the fan base.
The old addage, "if you build it they will come" only applies if we have the "they" in the immediate area. Thats really at the heart of my goals here. If I can get manufacturing on an even keel to some extent in the area and bring in some high and mid end commercial, it can be done. I have had some very fruitful meetings on this in the last couple of weeks, so its not outside of the realm of possibility.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Slesh, it's too bad you're leaving and taking Enithal out West with you, because you seem to be one guy who talks a big game about saving WNY and doing something about it, too.

Oh, and even though I don't exactly think the team would survive, I'd still be going to hella games to see the Sabres prospects in action. That's a season ticket I could afford!

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mechaphil

LOL, Well, plans change Phil, I will still spend quite a bit of time out west, but I will also be spending time back here. Long story, but in a nut shell, Eninthal got Albany on board with a waste to energy facility in the Niagara Falls industrial corridor.

My firm gets an equity play on this, thats how funds come available for other projects for my firm. We had to commit to a secondary project in the region (welcome to real world politics 101, oh and the advanced course of on the job training is a real bitch too).
So, the old Hooker Chemical building needs a refit. Its currenlty owned by a looser with 1.4 mil in taxes owed. If we can move in a timely fashion, Eninthal will purchase that 9 story all glass building, its located right next to the Rainbow bridge. We'll refit the building as a renewable energy project, give New York State Park Dept. the 1st and 2nd floor for concession business's and visitor center and the 9th floor for an observation deck for the Falls.

Eninthal will then Headquarter its east coast operation out of this building. Solar and small wind turbines will be on full display if this goes forward. Also, the equity play is of such a percentage that my partners held an official voting meeting of the managing partners last thursday, we voted that we would be willing to leverage a percentage of our annual earnings of the equity position to accomodate a 90 to 100 mil all renewable energy civic center. Eninthal Arena, Niagara Falls Civic Center, call it what you will, but this in turn, would initiate 4 of the worlds large development firms to come in and build out 4 five star hotels in downtown Niagara Falls.

Yes, it always sounds to good to be true, but I am on conference calls and in meetings over this for the next month. So, its not outside the realm of possibility, like I said. Its alot of hard work, with some vision put in their as well.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Just keep us updated, dude!

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mechaphil

Support them? Yes. Do I think the area could support them on top of an NHL team? Probably not.

I don't think anything could survive in Niagara Falls, NY.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

The town is pretty run down, but hey, give it a shot.

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret