Orchard Park Chamber leader on Bills stadium rezoning plans: 'A great step in the right direction'

Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) - "I'm definitely on board," said Orchard Park Chamber executive director Don Lorentz with WBEN on Friday, following a public meeting on zoning near the new Buffalo Bills stadium on Thursday.

"For the past six years, I've been proposing ideas to have some kind of
development around the stadium. Hopefully a hotel and some retail development," he said.

The new zoning would allow for structures (hotels) up to five stories to be built near the stadium. Currently, there is a two and a half story moratorium.

"This is a great step in the right direction," Lorentz noted.

The Chamber leader fears that if Orchard Park does not act, neighboring towns, like Hamburg will.

"That would take away from our tax base. We would still have the traffic and everything else that [a stadium] brings, but we're not going to have any tax benefit from it."

Lorentz said he's also looking out for the 500-plus members of the Chamber.

"They want something where people can actually stay in Orchard Park and shop at boutiques and go to restaurants. Right now people don't do that. They come here and as soon as the game is over they leave and often find somewhere else to stay. This would be a real boost for Orchard Park. It's a long time coming," he added.

Ultimately, Lorentz would like to see the stadium area as a destination. "Build something substantial and give people a reason to come here for 12 months, not just eight or 10 games."

The Town of Orchard Park could be positioned as being 20 minutes away from Kissing Bridge Ski Resort, and Ellicottville and Niagara Falls are both nearby.

Despite the fact that very little has changed around Highmark Stadium since it was built 50 years ago, Lorentz said other things are happening in the town.

"Wayland Brewing is here with a beautiful banquet hall. We have the New York Beer Project, which can hold over 400 people. This is something we could build upon and utilize these facilities."

The Orchard Park Town Board is scheduled to hold a public hearing and vote on the rezoning proposal at its meeting on Oct. 2.