Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul is a Guest on ‘Shredd and Ragan in the Morning’ on 97 Rock

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul was a guest on "Shredd and Ragan In the Morning" on 97 Rock to discuss the opening of the new Buffalo Bills stadium.

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: Governor Kathy Hochul joins us this morning, a Western New Yorker, now in Albany, keeping her eye on things for Buffalo and Western New York and this stadium as well. Kathy, good morning. How are you?

Governor Hochul: Good morning. Am I speaking to the new voice of the Buffalo Bills?

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: Yes, indeed. 97 Rock, the voice of the Bills.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: There you go. There you go.

Governor Hochul: I love it.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: We're going to have to get you a keychain or something like that.

Governor Hochul: That's the most important news to come out of New York in a long time. Congratulations, guys.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: Thanks, Kathy. We go way back with you, by the way, and we found out that you go way back even with where the stadium was going to be and the initial -

So you - at the time, I don't think you were, I don't think you were in office. I think you, you had been part of M&T that sounds right - but you were part of a group to think about where this next stadium is going to go. And so when you see today the ribbon cutting and everything else, you probably do go back to some of that early work. So take us back to the early days when you're trying to figure out where to put the stadium. Niagara Falls was mentioned as a place, the suburbs, the city of Buffalo. What was the idea behind that and then how it ended up there? Are you disappointed that it's there or are you like, "No, that's the best place altogether"?

Governor Hochul: No, no, no. No, you listen to the fans, and I'll say this: I was actually a brand new Governor literally days before I was sworn into office in August of 2021. I was hearing that the Bills organization was getting frustrated because they weren't getting a response out of Albany - I'll just say Albany, but the Governor's office was not giving them the attention, and they were getting anxious about the lease expiring, and they were saying, you know, other cities were courting the Bills.

It was a very perilous time in the Bills' history because of a lot of distractions in Albany. You know how I became the Governor all of a sudden, unexpectedly. That's another story. But, one of the first calls I made when I was Governor in August of '21 was to Terry and Kim Pegula, and I said, "I'm going to get this done. You don't need to think about going anywhere else. This is your home. I'm from Buffalo, and come hell or high water, I will get this done." Because they weren't getting a commitment from the state, and they needed it, and other states were ready to, you know, give them all the support they wanted. So I had to, first of all, stabilize the situation and then literally, first days on the job, I'm having communication, conversations, meetings, working with the stadium commission that was already in place, but also talking about the location.

Now, there was an option to bring it downtown, possibly a dome stadium, so we could host the Super Bowl someday. But you know what I admire so much about the Pegulas? They wanted to do what the fans wanted to do. And Bills Mafia, everybody was weighing in that they wanted to keep it where it was. You could have the tailgating, you could have the space. You could have the advantage we get by having it outdoors in the cold because it's almost impossible to beat us when the snow is blowing and it's a blizzard, and we play our games best at that time.

So, I was very involved step by step. But then the next part was there had to be money from the state, and I'll tell you, the State Legislature was not excited about coming up with millions of dollars to give to the new Governor from Buffalo for her hometown stadium. I'm going to tell you, this was - I was roundly criticized. You know, everybody from the media in New York City, all over the place, they're beating the crap out of me. Like, "How could she do this? She only cares about Buffalo." Yeah, I care about Buffalo. I'm the first Governor from Buffalo since Grover Cleveland. Someone has to speak up for Buffalo, for God's sakes, and that was my job.

So I knew I had to do this, and I'll just say this, guys: I knew that I could not be a Governor who had on her headstone, when she's long gone, that she's the one who lost the Buffalo Bills. I could not do that. I had to get the money out of the Legislature. Crystal Peoples-Stokes was also a key ally. I thank her. But it was a tough haul. I mean, nobody wanted to give money to the stadium outside of people in Western New York, and I had to persuade legislators from New York City and others to go along with my plan, and they barely knew who I was. But I was not going to let this happen because the Bills had other options. We know they had other options, and we are so happy we could get the deal done. And I'm delighted with this outcome today and it's a long-awaited day, and we're all celebrating.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: You know, not only that, but there has to be a point of pride to New York State having some of this. I know at one point there's conversations about, for example, the Knicks going to New Jersey, even though they'd still be always known as the New York Knicks, you'd have them with some sort of arena in New Jersey.

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: Well, look at the Giants and the Jets.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: Right. And so, I think that's also part - so when you were making that argument, what was part of the conversation? How did you convince somebody, you know, in Schenectady? How did you convince somebody, you know, down in the five boroughs?

Governor Hochul: Well, I'll also say, this is not the greatest years of our existence, and so it wasn't that love, the love that exists now for the Bills that we've seen in the last few years, it's extraordinary. Because right now, probably everybody in New York State is pretending they've been a Bills fan their entire lives. Welcome to the party, my friends. They really are. I'm at Buffalo Bills bars in Queens and Manhattan and up in Albany, and they're all like, "Oh yeah, it's our team." Now, I'm happy to hear that, and this is how I - I told you before - this is how I can unify this state, Upstate and Downstate, common love of the Buffalo Bills. And just like we all embraced the Knicks, and I've been following the Knicks since the '73 championship. I watched it. I was from a big sports family. So we unify behind teams, and I just had to tell everybody it's huge for the Western New York economy, it's part of our identity, and it is the team that plays in New York. So it was hard, but we got it done.

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: Can you tell us a little bit about what the difference is going to be now that it's state-owned and not county-owned?

Governor Hochul: Well, the state put in, you know, $650 million, and at the time people said, "Oh my God, that's such a huge share." I will also say this: Because the cost has gone up, we're actually less than 30 percent of the cost. We have other communities around the country that are putting in a much higher share for a public dollar for a stadium. But basically, no, it's going to run as it's been. You're not going to see a difference in the operation. We're just a major, a major investor in this, but this is a public asset as far as I'm concerned.

This is something that the community needed. I cannot imagine Buffalo if the Bills had left. We really have to process this. This is a real possibility when they were not getting support out of the state before I became the Governor. So I want to just remind everybody of how fortunate we are that they're here. So there won't be changes in the operation. We're just going to make sure that the investments are there to maintain the stadium. Because one of the things I did was I said, "I'm not leaving this negotiation table until you agree to stay for at least 30 years." And that was a sticking point. And I said, "This is a condition," and we got it done.

So we are committed to helping with some revenue, you know, ongoing to assist with the renovation. So you don't let it deteriorate and all of a sudden after 20 years, you're spending all this extra money that you could have avoided by making investments throughout the process. So that's what's really good about it. And I'm so excited. I was, let me tell you what I'm feeling right now. I was part of the whole Knicks celebration, right? I was at the parade. I was on a float with, with KAT, with OG, and I got my picture taken with Jalen and his dad and the trophy. And I mean, I have so much excitement ever since the Buffalo Braves left Buffalo. Remember them, guys? Remember the Buffalo Braves? Yeah, I used to babysit for the coach when I was a kid. So I -

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: Are you serious?

Governor Hochul: No I did. Yeah, yeah. We used to go to games. They lived, they lived behind me. John McCarthy, used to play for the Celtics.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: That's hilarious

Governor Hochul: So I've been watching, ever since I was a little kid. I've been, you know, involved in watching basketball. So the excitement, the energy, the unifying force of the Knicks for people who ordinarily would never talk to each other. I mean, New York City, not always chatting on the streets with each other. Not everybody always making eye contact. Nobody's walking around saying, "Go Knicks, go Knicks."

I started embracing what we do in Buffalo, right? You don't say hi or goodbye, you just say, "Go Bills," right? It's a greeting. It's like, "Ciao," it's "Go Bills." So I started saying to everybody, "You have to start saying "Go Knicks". We have to show this energy. What I feel we saw in New York City with that parade, the celebration, the angst being down and coming back, that is so Buffalo. And I wanted people to understand that that's what I've lived with my whole life as a diehard Buffalo Bills fan. The ups and downs, the ecstasy, the disappointment, the - every, all the emotions that a community has wrapped up in this is really their identity. So they started understanding me as a rabid Buffalo Bills fan because of what they were experiencing as well.

So I just found it fascinating this, this time in our history when we have sports as the common language that we all speak, and I keep leaning in with it because it is powerful.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: Not only that, but you're right -

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: The Sabres, by the way, the Sabres have also helped with that, that whole, that whole feeling that this whole spring was all about, you know, after the Bills season, we were all over the Sabres, making the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, so that, that whole feeling just keeps continuing.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: Sure, but you - well, I can see what you're saying, which is we're getting harder and harder to get a common language, right? I mean, as time goes on, we're not, we're fractured in all of that and - or being forced into being fractured - but sports is allowing us to get together, so lean into that and then maybe you have a better civic discourse.All right. That kind of makes sense

Governor Hochul: I think so. And thanks for mentioning the Sabres. Boy, they just gave us such a lift. And I just, I was - this is when I was doing the Budget negotiations. I'm stuck in Albany like, "Oh, man." The only release was watching the Sabres. It was so exciting this year. And to know that they came from like last in December to, you know, almost pulling it off and got so close, I mean it was just, I just - the emotional relief that comes from being able to put your energy and love into a team, it's extraordinary. And I want every person in the State of New York to embrace the team - hopefully the Buffalo Bills, hopefully the Sabres. But, you know, people who live downstate, have to keep loving your Jets and Giants, except for the days they are playing the Bills.

But I want everybody proud of something that is, as I said, a common bond, and there's no reason why we can't start with that, that people who go into a stadium like the Bills Stadium who absolutely would never want to talk politics at the bar or the table because they would not agree, they can just hug and high-five and just celebrate. That is what the Bills give to us. That is why I knew, as a brand new Governor, I had to get this heavy lift done and I'm so proud that we're able to celebrate today but also the opening day against Detroit. I will be there. I will be there celebrating.

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: It's going to be a great night. The stadium's going to look beautiful with some of the cool stuff we've seen there so far.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: Have you had a chance to go into the stadium yet, or is this going to be the first time you see it?

Governor Hochul: First time finished. I was there months ago, months ago, you know, we - I've been there for every milestone and, no, I've not seen the artwork. I've not seen the bison family, the buffalo family or whatever we call them, the bison family or the buffalo family. These sculptures are out front.

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: The family circle there?

Governor Hochul: There's some sculptures up front. I have to go see them.

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: Yeah, yeah. Three, three of them. I don't think they're all there yet. I think one or two of them are there and the third one's being shipped.

Governor Hochul: Mom and dad - I think the baby and mom are there, we're still waiting for dad to arrive, but, but make sure - speaking of buffaloes, have you been down to see the buffalo sculpture at the Outer Harbor State Park? The Buffalo Harbor State Park.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: No.

Governor Hochul: Down near Charlie's Waterfront, the boat marina. You know what I'm talking about? The old Small Boat Harbor.

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: Yeah.

Governor Hochul: Go down there. Go see the playground we put in, and there's this huge sculpture of a buffalo, and it's made out of little metal shapes of birds, all the birds that migrate through Western New York. It's quite extraordinary.

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: Oh, wow.

Governor Hochul: So go down there, watch the beautiful sunset, the best in the world around Lake Erie, and, and just, you know, just embrace the joy of being a Buffalonian, because this is our moment - new stadium, championship. I can't wait to throw the same kind of parade down Delaware Avenue that we had for the Knicks just last week. And so it's coming, my friends. We've waited long enough.

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: Hey, I wanted to ask you one more thing because I saw on the news this morning that you're starting a committee to talk about maybe bringing the Olympics back to New York, to Lake Placid. I mean, I love the Winter Olympics, I love skiing up in that area, and that would be real cool to get this back here in New York.

Governor Hochul: I'm all over it. I'll never forget the 1980 Olympics, the Miracle on Ice, and what we did there. I want to have more miracles that generations going forward will always be able to share and be part of their identity. I will say, what is fascinating about this bid is what we're going to do is replicate what they did in Italy, and create a synergy between two different cities, you know, literally 300 miles apart.

We can do this with New York City being a venue for some of the skating events and other events we want to promote, but also, you know, everything with the slopes and the bobsled and our traditional Winter Olympics do up in Lake Placid, and really get this whole corridor buzzing and active and get people going from one place to another, and then we're going to say, "Make sure you get over to see Niagara Falls and get over to Buffalo as long as you're visiting the state."

So I think it's going to be a great, great attraction, and, you know, I'm vested in this. I created an exploratory committee already. So I'm ready to go, and it's going to take some time and, you know, not until 2042, but you have to think big. You have to go long.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: We'll be there.

Governor Hochul: We'll all, we'll all be there.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: We'll all be there, Kathy.

Governor Hochul: We'll all be there. Who knows if I'll still be Governor, but I'll be there, you know?

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: Who knows if I'll still be skiing.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: Governor Kathy Hochul's on - longtime friend of the show as well. Kathy, one more thing, and you know, I remember when we would have Jimmy Griffin on, and when Jimmy Griffin was on, what'd he used to say? "The seniors. You have to, you have to worry about the seniors." So I don't know if you heard yet, but there's an Amherst Senior Center, and there's a possibility that the director may have taken the law of gambling a little too seriously. And I just wonder what your personal feeling is about seniors at the Amherst Senior Center throwing a couple of bucks before a pinochle game. Does that mean that they're running afoul of any gambling law in New York State?

Governor Hochul: I'm going to look into that one. I mean, maybe we can just let our seniors have some fun, you know? This is the first I've heard of it, so I probably shouldn't be weighing in until I know a little bit more about it. But, you know what? I don't know. I've, I don't know. I don't know. Let me find out more about it, guys. What are your opinions?

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: Well, look into it. Well, just the seniors want to play a little pinochle and get some pizza every now and then. Maybe you could give them -

Governor Hochul: No, they should be able to do that. They should be doing that. But are they running gambling rings? I don't know what they're doing over there, you know?

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: They're throwing $4 down before a euchre game. That's a little different.

Governor Hochul: Is this like the Polymarkets? Is this Kalshi? Like, what are they doing over there? I mean, tell me exactly what they're doing before you ask me to comment on it. You know?

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: All right. Sounds good. Well, maybe look into it, give it a little a dispensation of sorts, and maybe they can start playing cards again.

Governor Hochul: Yeah, maybe seniors just need to have some fun, right? That's, I want to be - I want to make New York a fun state. Once again, let's have fun.

Tom Ragan, 97 Rock: Let's have fun. All right. Well, Kathy, enjoy the day. Have fun down at the stadium, and we'll be in touch. Take care of yourself.

Governor Hochul: Sounds great. Good talking to you both. Bye-bye.

Ted Shredd, 97 Rock: Thanks, Kathy. Governor.