Suozzi criticizes Hochul's spending for Bills Stadium

BUFFALO, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Long Island Congressmember Tom Suozzi is claiming arrogance in Albany. Suozzi criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposed $850 million taxpayer-funded Buffalo Bills Stadium.

Suozzi, who's running against Hochul in the Democratic primary, said that adding this into the budget so close to the deadline hardly gives lawmakers enough time to scrutinize the deal. He believes that, rather than having New Yorkers pay for the stadium, developers ought to foot the bill.

"I would first try to negotiate a deal where you didn’t put up public money," Suozzi said. "It has to make economic sense and you need experts helping to negotiate these deals, they’re very complicated. But if you read the literature, most sports deals do not bring in more money than you put in."

However, Hochul predicted that the stadium will bring in more than $380 million, along with a bump in the hospitality industry bringing in tens of millions annually. Suozzi said that, with New York having the highest taxes in America and thousands leaving the state, his administration would focus on reducing taxes.