Bills GM Doug Whaley has had a sit-down meeting running back C.J. Spiller‘s representatives and he’s interested in keeping him in Buffalo long-term, according to the team’s Twitter account. “He’s a playmaker, and we’re trying to keep as many playmakers as possible,” Whaley said (link). Recently, the tailback joined up with agent Chad Speck as he looks towards his next deal. Here’s more out of Buffalo..
- While a consultant hired by the state has been identifying potential sites – and reportedly narrowed the list to four locations in Erie County – the search for a new stadium site has been hindered by the uncertainty over who would win the bidding for the team. Things should start clearing up now that Terry Pegula is set to take over the Bills, according to David Robinson of The Buffalo News. Pegula has kept mum on the matter, but his pending purchase of the team likely gives a leg up to potential stadium sites downtown, near the First Niagara Center, where Pegula’s Buffalo Sabres play, according to sources. That would also put the stadium near the HarborCenter hotel and hockey complex that now is under construction.
- A source close to the Jon Bon Jovi bidding group, who spoke to Tom Precious of The Buffalo News, said the group bid $1.05 billion for the Bills and could have gone higher. The source also said media reports that the New Jersey native had split apart from the two Toronto investors were incorrect. That doesn’t matter much now as the Pegulas are slated to be the new owners of the franchise.
- Donald Trump issued a statement on the sale of the Bills to the Pegulas and Tim Graham of The Buffalo News has the goods. “It was my great honor to have the opportunity to bid on the Buffalo Bills football team. A large part of the reason for my bid was to ensure that the team remained in Buffalo. I would like to congratulate the Pegula family on what will be, I am sure, a wonderful purchase. I would also like to congratulate the fans of the Buffalo Bills in that, I have no doubt, that the team will now remain in your wonderful city,” Trump wrote, presumably on gaudy gold paper.
- The stadium site report should be out in the next week and will recommend three sites for the new stadium, tweets Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Business Journal.