Just after Bass Pro's announcement, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown issued a statement saying the Buffalo Common Council is to blame. YNN's Doug Sampson explains.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

Mayor Byron Brown released the following statement Friday: "I was disappointed to hear today directly from Bass Pro President Jim Hagel that among other things the Common Council’s inaction over my plan to sell city land to strengthen waterfront and neighborhood economic development was one reason why Bass Pro will not open a store on Buffalo’s waterfront."

"This decision means that over 3,000 construction and retail jobs for residents of our city and region are threatened with the loss of this anchor tenant."

"This is inexcusable and an example of a few obstructionists persuading members of the Common Council to stop progress – both along the waterfront and in our neighborhood commercial districts."

"There are still thousands of other jobs that now hang in the balance on our waterfront and I call on the Common Council to hold a meeting next week to vote on the community development agreement I presented to them early last week. I am pleased that Council majority leader Richard Fontana has agreed to organize the meeting."

"That’s not true," responded Common Council Majority Leader Richard Fontana (D- Lovejoy District). "Bass Pro was not coming to Buffalo is we approved that item last week. It doesn't make any sense. Nine years and a week mattered? It doesn't make any sense."

"I think that's almost laughable," said Councilman Michael Kearns (D- South District). "For 8 years Bass Pro has been teasing us, and no pun intended, luring us. To blame this on the Buffalo Common Council is almost comical. Listen, Bass Pro wasn't coming."

Kearns and Fontana brushed off the mayor's statement, instead focusing on Bass Pro and almost a decade of indecision.

"They had nine years to seal a deal, they could still seal a deal tomorrow if they wanted to," said Fontana. "They never called us. I never got a call from Bass Pro in nine years saying we need this, or we need that."

"We didn't lose today," said Kearns. "Bass Pro lost today. This is not a doom and gloom attitude. They lost. I think the finality of this is good for the community and we can move on."

"The waterfront land is very valuable. That project is very exciting. And I think you're going to see a lot of things happening in the next year and a half," said Fontana.

The Mayor's office could not be reached for further comment despite several attempts by YNN. Meanwhile, the Common Council plans to meet next week to discuss the future of the waterfront and to vote on the Mayor's community development plan.