Erie County has collected nearly $3 million from an added 6% tax at Highmark Stadium after the Buffalo Bills remitted $1,796,856.42 for September, according to county figures reported by WKBW.
The latest payment pushed the total collected in the first two months to $2,877,771.51. In August, the Erie County Comptroller’s office reported that $1,080,915.09 had been sent to the county.
The surcharge applies not only to Bills games but also to other events at the Orchard Park stadium, including concerts. The money is collected by a third party and deposited into a separate Erie County-owned surcharge account.
Under the lease, the funds are expected to be moved into a different account each year on April 30. Erie County said the revenue will support future capital improvements at the stadium.
A 2022 memorandum of understanding between the Bills, Erie County and New York State says Erie County Stadium Corporation is obligated to contribute $6.67 million per year for 15 years to a Maintenance and Repair Fund. The document says the Bills may use that fund for capital improvements, maintenance and other repairs at the new stadium complex, excluding Bills labor or janitorial costs.
The memorandum also says revenue from surcharges on ticketing, parking and concessions is to be treated as the county’s contribution to the Capital Improvement Fund.
An Erie County spokesperson said the surcharge is placed on tickets, concessions, merchandise and other items purchased at Highmark Stadium and will be used for continuing capital improvements. The spokesperson said the structure was negotiated during public discussions about the stadium lease before the Erie County Legislature.
The county spokesperson also said the Erie County Comptroller’s Office and the Bills organization are making decisions about how to document and track the collected surcharge funds, which will be placed in a capital improvement fund managed by Empire State Development.
Source: WKBW 7 News Buffalo.
