On Monday, September 30, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is holding a press conference at 5 p.m. to make an announcement. It is anticipated the announcement may be related to the contract Western OTB has offered him, which would require his resignation as mayor.
We will continue to update this story as it develops.
UPDATE AS OF 5:08 P.M.: Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown has announced his plan to resign in the next few weeks.
Brown said he has accepted the position of President and CEO at Western Regional Off-Track Betting, a public benefit corporation that operates Batavia Downs and betting parlors across 15 New York counties.
Brown has served as Buffalo's mayor for nearly 18 years. He was inaugurated on January 1, 2006 as the city's 62nd mayor and first African-American mayor. His fifth and current term was due to end at the end of 2025.
Brown needed a NYS Gaming License in order to sign the contract and join OTB. According to the NYS Gaming Commission Database, a "Byron W. Brown" now has an active track management license effective until September 24, 2025.
In accordance with the city charter, Buffalo Common Council President Christopher P. Scanlon will become acting mayor for the rest of Brown’s term.
Scanlon was elected council president in January and has served as South District representative since 2012.
While he takes the rudder as acting mayor, his spot as council president will be filled by councilmember and Lovejoy District representative Bryan Bollman who serves as the council president pro tempore, the Latin term translating to “for the time being”.
WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE HERE:
