ERIE COUNTY, NY— Today, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz issued the following statement after news of the passing of Ralph C. Wilson Jr., the Detroit businessman who has owned the Buffalo Bills since the team’s inception in 1959. 

“On behalf of the people of Erie County and all fans of the Buffalo Bills no matter where they reside, I am deeply saddened to hear of Ralph Wilson's passing. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Mr. Wilson for choosing Buffalo as the location of his professional football franchise and then keeping the team here throughout its existence."

"Our community would not be the same without the Buffalo Bills. It is some ways the glue that binds us together as Buffalonians and western New Yorkers and we have Mr. Wilson to thank for this."

"He was a man of great integrity who kept his word to our community. My thoughts are with Mr. Wilson's wife, daughters and his entire family as well as the entire Buffalo Bills organization at this sad time."