"John Koelmel, president and CEO of First Niagara Bank, came to an obvious conclusion Thursday. Standing in the atrium of newly named First Niagara Center near a Buffalo Sabres jersey bearing his name, Koelmel looked around and decided it has been a good month for his corporation.

There's no denying that.

First Niagara, which took over 195 HSBC Bank branches Aug. 1, took the next step in increasing its regional presence Thursday by acquiring the naming rights to the Sabres' arena. The building at the foot of Washington Street is now known as First Niagara Center, with the team and bank agreeing on a 15-year deal to replace the moniker HSBC Arena.

"August has been a good month for us," Koelmel said. "The first of the month we proudly announced our transaction with HSBC, and I'm thrilled that we're relatively able to close the month with the second piece of the puzzle. It's a wonderful opportunity to partner with an organization that has been at the heart and soul of this community for the last 40-plus years.""