Harbor agency looks for gold in auction of Aud orange seats
On the heels of brisk sales of blue seats from Memorial Auditorium, a block of orange seats will hit the auction block.
The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. has decided to pull 500 of the 5,000 orange seats from the soon-to-be-demolished sports arena and put them up for bid.
“There was so much interest in the city’s sale of the blue seats, we thought we’d save a block of 500 orange seats and auction them off,” said Jordan K. Levy, chairman of the harbor development agency.
The sale tentatively is scheduled for spring.
Early last month, Levy had floated the idea of salvaging some of the orange seats, with the city handling a second round of sales. But the city was hesitant to become involved because the metal brackets of the plastic seats are coated with lead paint, Levy said. No such environmental hazards were associated with the blue seats, according to the city.
“They were uncomfortable with the paint situation, so we’ve decided to go ahead on our own,” Levy said. “We will make full disclosure about the lead paint and have buyers sign a waiver. I don’t think it will be a barrier to sales.”
The harbor panel chief said DEMCO, the West Seneca company that will start interior demolition of the Aud this week, will be paid $35 per seat to unbolt them and lower them by crane from the “nosebleed” section of the arena to the floor. The seats then will be put in storage until a formal plan is devised to sell them.
“I think it would be great if we could hold an auction in the late spring when the Sabres are in the playoffs,” Levy said, noting that would require the National Hockey League team to finish the season on a high note.
“If the Sabres continue to play well and make the playoffs, the timing would be wonderful,” he said.
Proceeds of an auction would go toward the massive $325 million Canal Side redevelopment project, which includes construction of a Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store where the Aud now stands.
“We can use every revenue option at our disposal. If we can make a couple hundred thousand, it all helps,” Levy added.
In November, the city hired an Amherst sports marketing firm to coordinate an Aud farewell event that included live seat sales, followed by an online seat auction. The sale of about 1,600 seats grossed more than $300,000, or $187 per seat, according to city officials.
Profits from the blue seat auction will finance a memorial to the venerable Aud that will incorporate some elements from its facade.
DEMCO began massing its demolition equipment at the arena late last month. The 80-year-old arena will start disappearing from the local landscape in mid-February, and the site is scheduled to be completely cleared by June.
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