HomeMy WebLinkAbout94-0310S
COMMON COUNCIL
CITY HALL
BUFFALO, NEW YORK
SPECIAL SESSION
MARCH 10, 1994
AT 11:30 A.M.
Present - George K. Arthur, President of the Common Council
and Councilmembers: Bell, Collins, Coppola, Czajka, Fahey, Helfer, Lockwood,
LoTempio, Perla, Pitts, Zuchlewski. - 12.
Absent - Councilmember Franczyk - 1.
No. 1
Call for Special Session
Mr. Charles L. Michaux, III
City Clerk
1308 City Hall
Buffalo, New York
Dear Mr. Michaux:
Pursuant to Section 30 of the Charter of the City of Buffalo, upon the
written request of five Council Members of the City of Buffalo, dated March 9,
1994, presented to you herewith, I hereby call a Special Meeting of the Common
Council, to be held in the Council Chambers, City Hall, Buffalo, New York, on
March 10, 1994 at 11:30 a.m. for the following purpose:
To receive, consider and take appropriate action to amend the previously
approved Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Crossroads Arena.
GEORGE K. ARTHUR
President of the Council
Hon. George K. Arthur
President of the Common Council
1315 City Hall
Buffalo, New York
Dear Sir:
WE, the undersigned, members of the Common Council, hereby request that
you call a Special Meeting of the Common Council, pursuant to Section 30 of the
Charter of the City of Buffalo, for the following purpose:
To receive, consider and take appropriate action to amend the previously
approved Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Crossroads Arena.
WE request that this Special Meeting be held on March 10, 1994 at 11:30
a.m.
Rosemarie LoTempio
Kevin Helfer
Bonnie Kane Lockwood
Carl A. Perla, Jr.
Alfred T. Coppola
TO EACH MEMBER OF THE COMMON COUNCIL:
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that, pursuant to Section 30 of the Charter of
the City of Buffalo, upon the written request of five Council Members, dated
March 9, 1994 the HON. GEORGE K. ARTHUR, has a called a Special Meeting of the
Common Council, to be held in the Council Chambers, City Hall, Buffalo, New
York, on March 10, 1994 at 11:30 a.m. for the following purpose:
To receive, consider and take appropriate action to amend the previously
approved Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Crossroads Arena.
CHARLES L. MICHAUX, III
City Clerk
Pursuant to Rule 2 of the Rules of Order of the Common Council of the
City of Buffalo, each of the following named members of the Common Council, to
wit:
ALFRED T. COPPOLA DAVID FRANCZYK
CLIFFORD BELL DAVID J. CZAJKA
CARL A PERLA, JR. KEVIN J. HELFER
BONNIE KANE LOCKWOOD DAVID COLLINS
ROSEMARIE LOTEMPIO JAMES W. PITTS
EUGENE M. FAHEY DALE ZUCHLEWSKI
hereby states that he/she received notice of the time and purpose of the
Special Meeting of the Common Council duly called to be held on March 10, 1994
at 11:30 a.m. and hereby waives 24 hours' notice.
STATE OF NEW YORK)
COUNTY OF ERIE ) ss:
CITY OF BUFFALO
On this 10th day of March, 1994, before me, the subscribers, personally
appeared Alfred T. Coppola, Clifford Bell, Carl A. Perla, Jr., Kevin J. Helfer,
Bonnie Kane Lockwood, Rosemarie LoTempio, David Franczyk, David A. Collins,
James W. Pitts, Eugene M. Fahey, Dale Zuchlewski me known to be the same
persons described in and who executed the foregoing instrument, and they duly
and severally acknowledged to me that they executed the same.
Richard Okoniewski
Commissioner of Deeds
My Commission Expires 12/31/94
No. 2
By: Mr. Pitts
Crossroads Arena Project
Approval of a City-County Bed Tax
Litigation Settlement Agreement, an Interim Development
and Other Amendments to the MOU
Approved on February 22, 1994
Whereas: The Council hereby finds and declares that the development,
construction and operation of The Crossroads arena is in the interest of the
people of the City of Buffalo (the "City"); and
Whereas: The Council further finds The Crossroads will effectuate the goals
and objectives of the Waterfront Urban Renewal Plan, as amended, by the
eradication of slum and blight; and
Whereas: The Council further finds and declares that the development,
construction and operation of The Crossroads will provide economic benefits to
the City and its residents, including the creation of employment opportunities
during both the construction and operation phases of the project, the increase
of direct and indirect economic activity within the City associated with the
construction and operation of The Crossroads and the generation of tax revenue
resulting from such activity; and
Whereas: The Council further finds and declares that The Crossroads will
provide a recreational resource that enhances the quality of life of the people
of the City, will attract a wide variety of family and other entertainment
events to the City, will enhance the image of the City, will assist the City's
efforts to attract business, conventions and tourism, and will provide the City
with a venue at which civic events may be held; and
Whereas: The Council finds and declares that, based upon extensive study by
the Council's Stadium and Auditorium Task Force (the "Task Force"), the
financing, development and construction of The Crossroads will require a
cooperative effort among the Buffalo Sabres, the Sabres wholly owned subsidiary
Crossroads Arena Corporation ("CAC"), private financial institutions, the
County of Erie (the "County") and the New York State Urban Development
Corporation ("UDC"); and
Whereas: The City, through representatives of the Mayor and the Task Force,
has devoted substantial time and effort to the development of a Memorandum of
Understanding ("MOU") among the City, the Buffalo Sabres, CAC, the County, UDC,
the Erie County Industrial Development Agency and the Buffalo Urban Renewal
Agency describing the role that each of those parties will play in that
cooperative effort and setting terms and conditions that are fair and equitable
to the City and other parties, and
Whereas: The Council approved the MOU on February 22, 1994, subject to
approval of a City-County Bed Tax Litigation Settlement Agreement ("Settlement
Agreement") and an Interim Development Agreement which would be Exhibits R and
P of the MOU respectively; and
Whereas: The Corporation Counsel has presented to the Council a City-County
Bed Tax Litigation Settlement Agreement and an Interim Development Agreement
attached hereto; and
Whereas: UDC has requested an amendment to the MOU to provide for further
negotiations on the issue of how Transmission Fee revenue provided for by the
MOU will be distributed among the Operating Fee Recipients; and
Whereas: UDC has also requested an amendment to the MOU to reference the
modification of the Crossroads Arena project site plan to provide for retention
of historic buildings as recommended in the Final Environmental Impact
Statement;
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved:
That the City-County Bed Tax Litigation Settlement Agreement and the
Interim Development Agreement with CAC and BURA as presented by the Corporation
Counsel be and hereby are approved; and
Be It Further Resolved:
That the amendments requested by UDC to the MOU be and hereby are
approved; and
Be it Further Resolved:
That the Corporation Counsel be and hereby is authorized to execute the
City-County Litigation Settlement Agreement, subject to such modifications as
the Corporation Counsel may deem advisable, necessary or appropriate; and
Be it Further Resolved:
That the Mayor be and hereby is authorized to execute the Interim
Development Agreement and the amendments to the MOU as provided for herein,
subject to such modifications as the Corporation Counsel may deem advisable,
necessary or appropriate; and
Be it Finally Resolved:
That the Comptroller be and hereby is authorized to transfer to BURA such
portion of the $10 million bond anticipation note proceeds raised by the City
for the City's Cash Contribution to the Project as set forth in the MOU as
necessary to fund land acquisition and other interim development activity costs
under the terms and conditions of the Interim Development Agreement.
PASSED.
AYES- ARTHUR, BELL, COLLINS, COPPOLA, CZAJKA, FAHEY, HELFER, LOCKWOOD,
LOTEMPIO, PERLA, PITTS- 11.
NOES- ZUCHLEWSKI- 1.
No. 3
Adjournment
At 11:55 A.M., Mr. Pitts moved to Adjourn. Seconded by Mr. Czajka.