Stadium deal for Bills is expected by April 1

Getty Images

The Bills and the powers-that-be in New York are working toward a deal for a new stadium. On Friday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul acknowledged that the agreement will be reached soon.

Via Tim O’Shei of the Buffalo News, Hochul said Friday that the deal will be done by April 1, in time for the annual budget.

Roughly $850 million in public money will be devoted to the new stadium. Hochul defended that commitment by accurately pointing out that “teams have other options.” She also reportedly alluded to the fact that roughly a dozen other markets could support an NFL franchise.

“That’s why we’re negotiating very intently, to make sure we have the right outcome for this community,” Hochul said.

So, basically, the Bills never had to make the threat in order to convey the promise of potential relocation. They don’t need to bluff. Everyone knows how it works. If a team’s current market isn’t wiling to show up to the new-stadium party with a big sack of taxpayer money, some other city will.

And it doesn’t take a dozen. It only takes one.