ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Terry Pegula was born and raised in northeast Pennsylvania but grew up rooting for the Detroit Lions.

He became acquainted with Buffalo sports teams in the late 1970s when he moved to Olean, N.Y., 75 miles south of the city, and became an even bigger fan through his 1993 marriage to the former Kim Kerr of Fairport, N.Y., 80 miles west of Buffalo.

On Friday, Terry and Kim Pegula were introduced as the new owners of the Buffalo Bills.

The Pegulas’ record $1.4 billion purchase eradicates decades of doubt about the Bills’ future in western New York.

In an email to fans, the Pegulas declared in bold print “THE BILLS ARE HERE TO STAY.”

“I want to ask our fans if I overpaid,” Pegula joked at the press conference inside the Bills’ practice facility. “They’ll tell ya.”

The Pegulas hold a permanent residence in Boca Raton, Fla., but have become beloved figures in Buffalo after buying the NHL’s Sabres in 2011, investing more than $130 million in downtown development and donating $12 million for upgraded athletic facilities at nearby Houghton College, Kim Pegula’s alma mater.

Ralph Wilson, once minority owner of the Detroit Lions team to which Pegula first held allegiance, chose Buffalo to be the home of his American Football League franchise in 1960. Though he once threatened to move the team to Seattle if a new stadium wasn’t built, Wilson left a legacy when he died in March as the man who kept the Bills in Buffalo.

Terms of the Bills’ stadium lease with Erie County and the trust controlling Wilson’s estate dictated that the individual or group purchasing the team must be committed to staying in western New York.

Both of the parties known to have submitted losing bids on the Bills — real estate tycoon Donald Trump and a group fronted by rock star Jon Bon Jovi and backed by Canadian businessmen — said they planned to keep the team in western New York.

But after years of speculation that the Bills would be relocated to Toronto, Los Angeles or another more lucrative market after Wilson’s death, Bills fans grew wary of any potential ownership group that didn’t have physical and emotional ties to the area.

Pegula’s purchase has been hailed as one of the greatest moments in team history.

“This proud franchise, at 55 years old, is stronger than ever,” said John Murphy, radio voice of the Bills and emcee of the press conference.

Tears flowed early and often from Pegula, who said he was humbled by the outpouring of support and appreciation from Bills fans during the sale process.

Pegula takes over a team that has never won an NFL championship and has not made the playoffs in 14 years, the league’s longest drought.

“The primary goal of our ownership will be to win a Super Bowl and bring championships to Buffalo,” he said.

In many ways, new ownership means much of the same at One Bills Drive.

Changes to the management and football operations are not expected, though per terms of sale, CFO Jeffrey Littmann and VP Mary Owen stepped down. Pegula said as much Friday, and his history with the Sabres suggest he is reluctant to fire people.

Pegula retained Sabres coach Lindy Ruff and general manager Darcy Regier through much of two losing seasons after he purchased the team, long after fans had called for their ouster. The Sabres bottomed out last season with a last-place finish.

Russ Brandon, the Bills’ team president since the start of 2013 and a fixture in the front office since the dawn of the playoff drought, sat beside Pegula at the press conference, answered several questions on his behalf and received praised from the new owner for his leadership.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said the Bills need a new stadium to ensure their long-term viability. The Bills still have eight years left on their lease at 42-year-old Ralph Wilson Stadium in the southtown suburb of Orchard Park.

“I hope I don’t have to spend the next eight years answering stadium questions,” Pegula said. “We will gradually proceed to plan and design a stadium for the Bills.”

Pegula, a multibillionaire who made his fortune in the oil and natural gas industries, said he and Kim had discussed the prospect of purchasing the Bills for several years. He made it clear that alleviating the community’s concern over relocation was their primary motivation for buying the franchise.

He also made it clear that his wife will be involved in any major decisions regarding the team’s future.

“Kim likes to do things,” he said with a smile. “She’ll be involved. She’s the co-owner.”