5 takeaways on construction of the new Highmark Stadium
Here are five takeaways on the construction of the new home of the Buffalo Bills.
The Buffalo Bills will kick off their final season in Highmark Stadium, their home since the 1973 season. Meanwhile, across Abbott Road, construction continues on the new Highmark Stadium, slated to open for the 2026 season. Here are five takeaways on the building of the new home of the Buffalo Bills.
1.) The cost of the stadium is likely to rise before construction is complete. In November, the Bills confirmed that the cost of the stadium had risen to $2.1 billion. Market conditions – increasing prices for materials, like structural steel, and for workforce − are the main cause of the price increase, according to the team. And this may not be the last time that the stadium cost increases, with construction slated to continue through June 2026.
2.) It's possible that 10,000 workers will be involved in some way on the project. In June, the Bills said more than 4,000 workers had come through or had been involved in some way with the project. That number could reach 10,000 by the end of construction, according to John Polka, vice president of stadium development.
3.) The stadium's impact on business development is unknown. While local officials remain hopeful that the new stadium will eventually bring development, the lack of activity around the facility is a sign that developers are taking a cautious approach about the potential for the area around the new stadium. Orchard Park officials adopted new zoning rules in October 2024 for the area around the stadium that they hope will spur development once the stadium is completed.
4.) Work on the inside of the stadium has ramped up. As of mid-August, there were 1,400 workers on-site, with about 61% of the Buffalo Bills new stadium project completed, and a healthy portion of them are working on an assortment of jobs that need to get done on the vast interior of the building. That includes in the concourses, suites and clubs, stairwells and escalators, market areas, bathrooms, locker rooms, field and seats. And at least half of the exterior work is done and most of it could wrap up by the end of October, according to Steve Ranalli, president of the state entity Erie County Stadium Corp., which is overseeing the project.
5.) The new stadium is already a destination. With the Bills a huge part of Buffalo culture and the project one of the biggest construction projects in the history of Western New York, people naturally want to come out and take a look. So, new stadium watching has become a thing.