Bass Pro out, now HSBC wants land deal

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The finger pointing has already begun over the loss of Bass Pro. And now further delay of a waterfront land deal could cost Buffalo a thousand other jobs.

In withdrawing from further consideration, a Bass Pro spokesman wrote, "There are numerous critical reasons, including the fact that several major issues remain unresolved."

Eluding to recent lawsuits, and the fact the Common Council had not yet transferred some city land to the Harbor Development Corporation. Mayor Byron Brown is disappointed, saying, "This is inexcusable and an example of a few obstructionists persuading members of the Common Council to stop progress."

Common Council Majority Leader Richard Fontana said, "To actually blame the Common Council for a week or month delay on this issue that's before us today is absurd. Once the economy turned down, I think Bass Pro really put it on the back burner. At this point, we're concerned though with another major tenant, which is HSBC."

Within hours of the Bass Pro news, Council Majority Leader Rich Fontana says business leaders were calling him, asking with a sudden urgency to call a special meeting next week to turn over the city's seven acres in front HSBC Arena to the Harbor Development Corporation because HSBC Bank needs it to keep jobs here.

The bottom line is HSBC wants out of the huge HSBC tower. In fact, they've put out Requests for Proposals to downtown property owners that they're looking for a new spot. If they could get this parking lot, known as the Webster block, it would put them right across the street from their HSBC Atrium.

"So that's a concern to me as a businessman here in Buffalo. I need to keep HSBC in downtown Buffalo and do everything we can do. Now, if that's not the case, HSBC needs to come forward and tell me that's not the case, otherwise I'm not gonna push for the vote," said Fontana.

An HSBC spokesman tells News 4 the bank is "looking at a range of options" and is "reviewing future real estate as part of standard practice."