BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Buffalo Sabres will continue to call the KeyBank Center home — at least for the next five years.
The team announced Saturday morning that it’s taking the option to continue its current lease with Erie County. The lease on the building was set to expire in September 2026. It will now run through September 2031.
Back in July, team and county leaders announced that KeyBank extended its naming rights of the arena until the 2035-36 season.
According to a study by the Sabres, the KeyBank Center had a $694.2 million economic impact in 2023, creating jobs for 3,822 people and generating $48.6 million in taxes.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said earlier this year that he wants to get the county out of the arena business. The county owns the shell of the building, the City of Buffalo owns the land, and the Sabres are responsible for the interior upkeep of the building.
The Sabres have been playing at the arena, which was first known as Marine Midland Arena, since it opened in 1996. The name was changed to HSBC Arena in 2000 and then became First Niagara Center in 2011. The arena got its current name in 2016.
Last season, the team paid for a new videoboard along with a new roof. A new audio system as well as new security and concessions technologies are being added for this season.
The Sabres say they are in “the early stages of establishing a long-term plan for the arena,” which includes a new lease and more renovations.