The Buffalo Sabres have plenty to address this offseason as they look to find a way to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They have young and experienced leadership. However, nothing is more pressing than the future of their downtown home. KeyBank Center has housed the team since 1996. However, with a 30-year lease set to expire in 2026, concerns over ownership and funding are intensifying among city and county officials, and, more urgently, among Sabres fans.
Amidst the uncertainty, Pete Guelli, Chief Operating Officer of the Buffalo Sabres, offered a statement meant to calm the waters:
“If anybody is uncomfortable at all, I can assure them that the Buffalo Sabres are not going anywhere.”
“If anybody is uncomfortable at all I can assure them that the Buffalo Sabres are not going anywhere.”- #Sabres COO @PeteGuelli on questions about the future of KeyBank Center.
— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@WBEN) April 16, 2025
That assurance might give fans a temporary sense of relief. Still, it doesn’t resolve the critical question: Who will own, and ultimately fund, KeyBank Center once the lease ends?
What We Know Now
According to WIVB, Erie County is looking to exit the ownership agreement when the lease concludes in September 2026. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has stated that his long-term goal is to get the county out of the arena business. Under the current arrangement, the county owns the shell of the building, the city owns the land beneath it, and the team is responsible for interior upkeep.
Complicating matters further is the arena’s condition. KeyBank Center is believed to need nearly $200 million in repairs, according to WGRZ. Yet as of April 8, acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon confirmed that no formal discussions have taken place between the city, the county, or the Sabres. This silence comes as the city faces a $50 million budget deficit and must finalize its fiscal plan by May 26.
City officials have made it clear, Buffalo cannot take on the financial burden of the arena alone. That leaves only June and July for the city, the county, and the Sabres to meet and explore a lease extension or a new ownership structure.
What’s Next?
One possible solution could involve the state stepping in with financial support. However, this presents another challenge. The state has already committed $600 million to Sabres owner Terry Pegula for the new Buffalo Bills stadium, which is currently under construction in Orchard Park. Whether there’s political will or financial capacity for another major stadium investment is uncertain.
For now, the future of KeyBank Center, and the Sabres long-standing presence in downtown Buffalo, remains in limbo. What happens in the coming months will determine not only the fate of the arena, but also the direction of Buffalo’s waterfront development and its relationship with professional sports.
Main Photo: Russell LaBounty- Imagn Images
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