Sabres announce lease continuation at KeyBank Center

The Buffalo Sabres will continue to call Western New York for the foreseeable future.

On Saturday, the team announced the continuation of its lease at KeyBank Center through September 2031. The current terms of the deal with Erie County stated that the Sabres had the option to either opt out of the agreement on Sept. 30 or extend it for another five years.

Sabres chief operating officer Pete Guelli states that the team is a meaningful organization for sports fans in the City of Buffalo, but also for the local economy.

“The Pegula family continues to invest in our city, and there is no greater vehicle for growth than KeyBank Center,” Guelli said in release. “The next five years give us a chance to discuss a long-term plan for the arena that benefits both the Sabres and Western New York.”

The Sabres, who previously announced a 10-year naming rights extension with KeyBank back in July, had an economic impact of over $694 million in 2023, according to a study from Tripp Umbach.

As part of the new extension, Sabres ownership is investing in a ton of arena improvements in the near future, with a new, multi-million-dollar audio system, along with concessions technologies and new security, being introduced this season.

The KeyBank Center, formerly known as Marine Midland Arena, HSBC Arena and First Niagara Center, has been the home to the Sabres since the team moved from the old Memorial Auditorium in 1996. While the team is known for its futility these days, the Sabres were a marquee attraction in the late 1990s and early 2000s. With names like Dominik Hasek and Michael Peca, Buffalo advanced to the Eastern Conference Final in 1998 and 1999, infamously losing to the Dallas Stars in the 1999 Stanley Cup Final. Following the 2004-05 lockout, the Sabres, led by the likes of Chris Drury, Danny Briere and Ryan Miller, were one of the top teams in the league, making it to the conference finals in 2006 and 2007.

The Sabres have not been to the postseason since 2011.