Bills collaborate with Erie County’s Level Up to host Legends Hospitality Workshop

Following Baskin’s remarks, more than a dozen Level Up businesses had the opportunity to share information and samples of their products and services, which ranged from local restaurants to specialty gifts. After the table session expos, Dom Verni, Vice President of Hospitality, introduced the Legends Hospitality leadership team to share their vision, service opportunities, and facilitate a Q&A session.

“The Buffalo Bills were thrilled to host our partners, Legends, for an incredible event with Level Up. The event provided a fantastic opportunity to strengthen our partnership and intimately connect with community business leaders,” said Verni.

Today, the combined total of NYS, Buffalo, and Erie County MBE-certified subcontractors who provide new stadium-related services and reside in Erie, Niagara, or Monroe counties, is less than 200. However, Erie County Level Up is making a significant difference. It aims to provide a pipeline to assist disadvantaged business owners in navigating countrywide small business resources and securing corporate and public contracts that align with their capacity to deliver, thereby fostering a more inclusive business environment.

Throughout the past year, the Bills worked with Level Up and Erie County to launch the “Taste of Diversity,” a six-week pilot program which served as a training group for five Black-owned Buffalo restaurants to learn to work in a fast-paced shared kitchen in a stadium-like concession setting. The Buffalo Sabres also collaborated with Level Up, hosting “Diversity Shop at KeyBank Center” to showcase eight Black-owned retailers and their products at four Sabres games. The Bills became supporters of Erie County Level Up when the pilot phase launched in May 2023 and are committed to ensuring an even playing field by maximizing opportunities for inclusive participation in the new stadium.