Howard Milstein, a billionaire developer who has tried to buy an NFL franchise before, has surfaced as a potential buyer for the Bills.
According to the Associated Press, Milstein has expressed interest in purchasing the Bills from the estate of Ralph Wilson and keeping them in Western New York. Milstein, who previously co-owned the NHL’s New York Islanders, owns land in Niagara Falls (about 20 miles north of Buffalo) and has ties to the state as the chairman of the New York State Thruway.
Milstein previously tried to become an NFL owner in 1999 in Washington, but he failed to get the necessary approval from the NFL’s finance committee. At the time, Milstein was partnering with Daniel Snyder, who later bought the team himself. Milstein was also one of the bidders who wanted to bring the Browns back to Cleveland in the late 1990s.
Whether Milstein can convince both the Wilson estate and the NFL that he’s the right man to buy the Bills remains to be seen. But it’s good news for Buffalo fans that a very rich man is interested in keeping the team in town.