Raij Discusses Foley's Representation of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in Keeping Bills in Buffalo

Partner Irwin Raij was profiled in an article published in The Buffalo News on April 30, 2014, titled “Lawyer Hired to Keep Bills Here is One of Those Who Helped Craft Lease Deal.” The article discussed the firm’s representation of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in his efforts to retain the Buffalo Bills football team in the state. Raij said, “We want to keep the Bills in New York, so we know what our goal is, and I think everybody knows what our goal is, and we’re not bashful about it.”

In 2012 and 2013, Raij led the Foley team that secured a 10-year lease deal between the Buffalo Bills and Erie County, whereby the team would play at Ralph Wilson Stadium with a commitment to stay in New York for at least seven years regardless of ownership.

In comparing this new Buffalo Bills assignment with his prior experience in franchise acquisitions and stadium development, Raij said, “I find all sports transactions, whether acquisitions or the building of a stadium, to be complex. The players at the table are very sophisticated. There are competing interests. There are similar interests. The challenge is to find those similar interests to get something done.”