July completion date for Bills new stadium may be more realistic
New York State, which will become the lease holder of the Buffalo Bills' new stadium, now is looking at a July 1 date for the substantial completion of the stadium, and said that could even stretch to Aug. 1.
The Buffalo Bills and Erie County have been pushing hard to have the new stadium project substantially completed and the keys turned over to the state by June 1.
But that might be too optimistic.
The state, which will become the leaseholder of the new stadium, is targeting a July 1 date for substantial completion and said the entire process, which includes a land transfer with the county, could extend to Aug. 1.
Work continues on a gathering area outside the suite entrance at the new Highmark Stadium. The state, which will become the leaseholder
of the Bills' new home, is now looking at a July 1 date for the substantial completion of the stadium. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
That extra time was built into the construction schedule, so turning over the keys in July is no big deal, according to Steve Ranalli, president of the Erie County Stadium Corp., the state entity overseeing the construction of the more than $2 billion stadium.
The Bills are scheduled to wrap up with the project’s construction manager, Gilbane Turner, by June 1 as part of an agreement between those two parties. But the team’s agreement with the state calls for a July 1 substantial completion date, which is around the time the land transfer between the county and the state is expected to occur. The Bills will be able to occupy the stadium upon receipt of their certificate of substantial completion.
That wiggle room was intentionally built into the schedule to provide 30 additional days to allow the team to meet its deadline with the state, Ranalli said. It should not delay the process to open the stadium for a summer event before the 2026 NFL season.
That time in June will likely be used to complete many of the fire and safety inspections, Ranalli said.
“We’re expecting some time in July – probably no later than Aug. 1 – for the state to actually take ownership of the campus,” he said. ‘It could be up to Aug. 1.”
Minor stadium jobs will be completed during the season, but they’ll likely be punch-list items and “all the big stuff will be done,” said Ranalli, who last visited the site about a week ago. Demolition of the current stadium is expected to be completed in spring 2027.
“Everything seems to be on track for the substantial completion this summer,” he said. “We’re getting there.”
The state is also working with the Bills and the county on the rollout to open the new stadium, which will include a ribbon-cutting and what will likely be the first major event there before preseason games start in August.
Even if the keys aren’t turned over to the state for the Bills to occupy the stadium until sometime in July, the team could still host the Return of the Blue and Red practice as its first big event at the stadium to tune up for the season.
The 2025 practice, which is usually on a Friday, brought a record 39,000 fans to the current Highmark Stadium. This year’s practice would likely be Aug. 7.
“They’ll have preseason games and the Red and Blue practice, and all of those things are expected to occur inside the new stadium,” Ranalli said. “We’re working on it.”
Ranalli said the stadium is approximately 90% constructed.
There are still around 1,500 workers on site during weekdays, and 1,000-plus on weekends, he said. They’re doing much of the finish work inside the stadium in interior spaces around the building. They’ve also been moving equipment and furniture into the stadium,
Construction crews continue to work day and night, seven days a week, at the stadium – regardless of the weather – to make sure it is done on time for the 2026 season, Pete Guelli, head of business operations for the Bills, said last month.
State to pay $12.6M for stadium upkeep
Now that the Bills stadium project is nearing substantial completion and the state has finished paying off its construction commitment, the focus shifts to allocating funds to capital improvement and maintenance.The Erie County Stadium Corp. on Monday approved a budget covering April 2026 to March 2027 that includes $12.7 million in maintenance funds. The state had provided $600 million in public funds toward the construction of the stadium.
In the summer, the state will make the first of 30 annual payments under the new stadium’s 30-year lease of $6 million into the capital improvement fund. Additionally, the state will allocate $6.67 million annually to the maintenance fund, starting this summer, for 15 years.
The Bills and Erie County will also contribute to help ensure the stadium remains in top condition. The money will also go toward repairs and upgrades needed for some of the team’s older facilities, offices, commissary buildings, and field house that will remain across Abbott Road from the new stadium.
As construction winds down, the state’s operating budget went down 9% from the last budget year to $2.7 million.
The biggest change will be in the state’s consulting team, which has been assisting with construction inspections and reviews as its work winds down this year. The state will spend $1.8 million on non-personal services, primarily consulting and legal fees. The state also budgeted more than $828,000 in personal services for salaries and fringe benefits for up to four employees.