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Legends wins hospitality bid for new Buffalo Bills stadium

Delaware North has provided food and beverage for Bills since 1992
Posted at 12:06 AM, May 17, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-17 18:28:34-04

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Delaware North is out, Legends is in.

Legends Hospitality has confirmed to 7 News they will be taking over hospitality services in the new Buffalo Bills stadium.

“Legends is proud to expand our long-term partnership with the Buffalo Bills to deliver a best-in-class hospitality experience for Bills Mafia at games, showcasing the very best Buffalo has to offer and beyond,” Legends President Dan Smith said in a statement Tuesday night.

Legends already had a relationship with the Buffalo Bills for the new $1.54 billion stadium in Orchard Park. The company was picked to lead planning, project management, sales, and partnerships. Now they'll also take over hospitality.

Legends is no stranger to NFL stadiums, having partnerships with SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Delaware North has provided concessions for Buffalo Bills games since 1992, but there have been questions recently if there's a conflict of interest. Governor Kathy Hochul's husband, Bill Hochul, works for Delaware North.

But the connections don't stop with the Legends takeover. Ron Raccuia is the Executive Vice President of Pegula Sports and Entertainment. His daughter Remy happens to be a Global Partnerships Associate for Legends. You can learn more about Legends by going to its website.

The new stadium is set to break ground the first week of June, with the goal of opening by the 2026 NFL season.

Delaware North issued the following statement to 7 News:

“We are disappointed not to have been selected to continue to be the Buffalo Bills’ hospitality partner beyond the 2025 season. We continue to believe our local roots, partnerships and successful track record with implementing innovative hospitality programs would have made us an outstanding partner in the new stadium. As a Buffalo-based company, we are incredibly proud of our Delaware North team members who have worked tirelessly on behalf of the Buffalo Bills and their passionate fans for more than 30 years and remain committed to our longstanding partnership with the Bills organization.”