NY Legislature set to discuss proposal to cap food and drink prices for some venues

NY Legislature set to discuss proposal to cap food and drink prices for some venues Garrett Chan News10NBC NY Legislature set to discuss proposal to cap food and beverage prices for some venues (live at 6:30 a.m.) ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The New York State Legislature plans to discuss a proposal on Tuesday that would regulate food and beverage prices at some sports and entertainment venues. The bill, called the Fair Concessions Pricing Act, would affect venues with at least 2,500 seats that have received public funding. If the bill became a law, it would cap food and non-alcoholic beverage prices at no more than 20% above the average retail price of similar items at nearby establishments. Local venues that could fall under this bill include the Blue Cross Arena, which the City of Rochester has jurisdiction over, and ESL Ballpark, which Monroe County has jurisdiction over. The bill also addresses concerns for venues that don’t allow outside food, which limits customers. It’s still unclear how these regulations would take effect, as many venues have outside restaurants operating inside. How the bill could impact Highmark Stadium Food and beverage prices at that new $2.1 billion Highmark Stadium could also fall under this bill. About $850 million of the stadium’s funding came from New York State and Erie County taxpayer dollars , while the other $1.25 billion came from the Buffalo Bills and the NFL. The policy for Highmark Stadium says that no outside beverages are allowed, but it’s not clear whether outside food is permitted. As News10NBC has covered, the cost to attend a Bills game is the most expensive in the NFL this season. Sports analytics platform The Action Network found that the average cost for a family of four to go to a Bills game is more than $2,100 when taking into account two beers, two soft drinks, and four hot dogs. Progress of the bill The bill is currently only in committee and has a long way to go before it could possibly be passed. You can track the progress in the State Senate here and State Assembly here .