Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Stadium
The County is the landlord for the home of the Bills, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Stadium in Orchard Park. The stadium opened in 1973 and was renovated in 1994. It's now considered one of the finest in the NFL, housing the league's
biggest practice facility and the largest video replay scoreboard.
The County, the Bills and New York State are currently negotiating to
extend the Bills lease, which expires after the 1997 season. In this era
of "franchise free agency" it's notable that team owner Ralph Wilson has
been a strong opponent of teams moving from community to community.
The County Executive has said that he would like to reach agreement
on a new lease, which will keep the team in Erie County well into the
next century, prior to the start of the 1997 season.
Fast Fact: Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Stadium is considered to have some of the best sightlines of any stadium in the NFL.
Culture
The County gives over four million dollars a year to cultural groups in Erie County. Among the major groups the County funds:
