Despite pressure from mayor, vote tabled

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - It's a deal that would have pumped $10 million into neighborhoods across Buffalo, but late Wednesday afternoon, the Common Council did not pass a land transfer deal, fueling fears that HSBC Bank will move thousands of jobs elsewhere.

Buffalo lawmakers are now considering only selling the Webster block, but they don't have enough votes to do that yet. They disappointed Mayor Byron Brown on Wednesday.

Mayor Brown said, "We can't play games with this decision making process."

Mayor Brown told Buffalo lawmakers HSBC Bank needs an answer this week whether city land will be available to them for possible new office space and parking.

"There are times when the importance of a particular issues warrants action. And this is absolutely one of those instances," insisted Mayor Brown.

A majority of Buffalo lawmakers believe HSBC is only interested in the Webster block, 1.9 acres of land near HSBC Arena. They voted to prepare documents to transfer only this land.

Common Council President David Franczyk said, "I believe it will [satisfy the needs of HSBC]. My discussions with HSBC officials, I'm comfortable with that it what they will accept."

Councilmember Michael Kearns said, "It was conveyed to us today was HSBC is not sending any official deadline."

The mayor said seven acres must be transferred to make the whole deal work, and said lawmakers were putting the city in jeopardy.

"Five members of this city council voted to kill jobs in Buffalo today," contended Mayor Brown.

On Tuesday, Larry Quinn of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation leaned heavily on Buffalo lawmakers, saying, "People want to hijack the economic development of Buffalo for their personal political gain."

"It was heavy sell, hard sell, arm twisting, putting a gun to your head, that's unacceptable. They failed with Bass Pro and now they're trying to blame everybody in the world for their failures," said Franczyk.

The mayor says he may call lawmakers back this week for another vote. Franczyk says that may not happen.