Newly-named Bills and Sabres COO Pete Guelli’s “plate is already full,” even before he takes on his new role starting next month, according to Michael Petro of the BUFFALO NEWS. The Bills’ new $1.7B Highmark Stadium is under construction and scheduled to be ready for the 2026 season, and the Sabres announced last month that KeyBank Center will feature a new scoreboard and new roof before the 2024-25 hockey season. For the Bills, Guelli will oversee the process of making sure there is a “smooth transition from the current 50-year-old building to the new facility” across Abbott Road in Orchard Park. That means “bringing over many of the season ticket holders to the new stadium.” There is also the “challenge of selling personal seat licenses for club seats and season tickets at the new stadium.” In regard to the Sabres, Guelli said that he “understands the arena model and feels uniquely positioned to help at KeyBank Center” and that he also “sees the arena as a catalyst for growth in the city.” Guelli worked for 10 years managing the Spectrum Center in Charlotte and oversaw “some of the renovations made there.” But he will also need to “bring some stability to the position after a tumultuous nine months of turnover.” In that time, the Bills parted ways with the two leaders of its business department -- Ron Raccuia and then John Roth, who was also the COO of the Sabres. Current Bills interim COO Josh Dziurlikowski will return to his previous title of SVP/Finance & Business Operations for the team, while Sabres interim COO Rob Minter will be the team’s SVP/Business Operations (BUFFALO NEWS, 3/20).
