If it does come to pass that Jon Bon Jovi becomes one of the new owners of the Buffalo Bills, he wants the people of Buffalo and western New York to know that he intends to keep the team in place.
Well, sort of. The wording of his letter, published in Sunday's Buffalo News runs from the group wanting to "make the Bills successful in Buffalo" to the fact that they would work with the state, city, county and business community to find the best possible site for a new "state-of-the-art NFL stadium."
Of course, getting a stadium built takes more then just a group of investors. It takes a lot of money from the state and local coffers to "fund" the project and, with things being tight as they are today, who knows what money might be forthcoming. There is also the issue that the Bills' current home, Ralph Wilson Stadium, would require tens of millions in renovations to stay suitable until the new stadium can be built.
Add to that the unmentioned fact that Bon Jovi's other two investors are from Toronto, a city that wants the Bills' franchise, and you have the ingredients for the old switcheroo down the road.
Here is Jon Bon Jovi's open letter:
Recently, there has been a lot of speculation about the future of the Buffalo Bills and questions surrounding the ownership group of which I am a part. Until now, we have not said anything publicly out of respect for Mr. Wilson, his family and the process they are undertaking to identify the right group to carry the franchise forward.
However, there has been a lot of conjecture, so we think it’s important to clarify our intentions to the fans of the team and people of Buffalo.
Our objective is simple: to carry on the legacy of Ralph Wilson and make the Bills successful in Buffalo.
We are committed to working with the State, City, County and business community to identify the best possible site in the Buffalo area for a new stadium and to then develop and implement a plan to finance and build a state-of-the-art NFL stadium for the loyal Bills fans.
Being part of the NFL is something I have been working toward for a long time. Ten years ago, I started by taking an expansion Arena Football team, the Philadelphia Soul, from its inception to winning a championship in five years. I wanted to learn what it takes to build a successful football organization. I was involved in every aspect of that team from its beginning and I lived for and loved every moment.
My family and I are prepared to make this life-changing commitment to be part of the Bills. This is not a hobby or an acquisition. Building a winner on and off the field will be job one and I intend to spend as much time on the ground in Buffalo as needed to accomplish that goal.
I know how much the Bills mean to the people of this region. So I want you to hear this from me: I’m not risking it all to let you down. If we are given the chance to be the next owners of the Buffalo Bills, I promise you that we will bring the same passion that you do every Sunday, every day.
