ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Bills have remitted $1,796,856.42 to Erie County, for September, after charging an extra 6% tax at Highmark Stadium.
Each month, the Bills are required to send that money raised to Erie County for future stadium upgrades and repairs.
In August, the Erie County Comptroller's office reported $1,080,915.09 was sent to the county. Now, after two months of collecting that tax, Erie County has raised $2,877,771.51.
That 6% tax is added onto:
- Tickets
- Parking
- Food and drinks
- Merchandise
- Other sales at the stadium
WATCH: Erie County tax raises almost $3 million at new Buffalo Bills stadium
While this surcharge is being added at Bills games, it's also being added for other events - like concerts - at Highmark Stadium.
The money is being collected by a third party and deposited into a separate Erie County-owned surcharge account. Per the lease, the money is expected to be deposited into a different account every year on April 30.
According to a 2022 Memorandum of Understanding between the Bills, Erie County and New York State,
[Erie County Stadium Corporation] shall be obligated to contribute to a Maintenance and Repair Fund in the amount of $6.67 million per year for 15 years. As more specifically described in the New Stadium Lease, the Bills shall be able to use the Maintenance and Repair Fund for Capital Improvements, maintenance, and any other repairs at the New Stadium Complex (for the avoidance of doubt, excluding the cost of Bills labor or janitorial costs).
The MOU also explains,
revenue generated by surcharges which the parties agree to implement upon ticketing, parking and concessions at the New Stadium (collectively, the “Surcharges Revenue”), which shall be deemed the County’s contribution to the Capital Improvement Fund.
An Erie County spokesperson told the 7 News I-Team,
The surcharge is placed on tickets, concessions, merchandise, and other items purchased at Highmark Stadium. This includes all Buffalo Bills home games as well as other events that will be held at the venue. That revenue will be used for continuing capital improvements at the new stadium. This was all negotiated as part of the public discussions about the stadium lease that were held by the Erie County Legislature. The Erie County Comptroller’s Office and the Bills organization are the entities making the decision on how to best document and track all collected surcharge funds, which will be placed in a capital improvement fund to be managed by Empire State Development.
