The Buffalo Sabres and City of Buffalo have finalized the $2.2 million land sale of the Webster Block in downtown Buffalo, paving the way for the major HARBORcenter development. "Today is a great day," said Cliff Benson, Chief Development Officer with the Buffalo Sabres, as Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and Sabres leaders officially signed the property deed Friday morning.
"Our teams were working around the clock on this to make sure it was moving on time. I'm just very proud, as mayor, of this process," said Mayor Byron Brown.
"It's time to build," said Benson.
The Sabres expect to break ground on the $172 million HARBORcenter possibly by mid-April. It will feature two hockey rinks, a 200-room hotel, retail and restaurants, and an 850-space parking garage, and will be connected to the arena with a block-long bridge over Perry Street.
The Sabres expect to create 205 full time and 160 part-time jobs through the project.
Benson insists, HARBORcenter will be ready in September of 2014, with the hotel to open in the spring of 2015. The Sabres want to make the future hockey rinks a community facility used not only to coach coaches and train players, but open to organizations and schools.
"We want this to be something for the whole community," said Benson. "This is now going to be part of Buffalo's front door."