Structural steel will soon begin going up on the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium in Western New York. The new 60,000-seat facility, designed by the Bills in conjunction with Legends and the architectural firm Populous, is ready for the more visible large-scale structural steelwork. The first steel beam hoisted into place will signify the progress taking place at the site of the new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.
The milestone marks the completion of excavation seven months after breaking ground in June 2023. Trucks removed more than 500,000 cubic yards of stone and dirt; and laborers built a sheet piling wall and poured over 18,000 cubic yards of concrete to create the foundation.
Those driving by the Orchard Park construction site will now begin to see the building take shape above ground, with the installation of approximately 25,000 tons of steel, enough to build approximately three Eiffel Towers. Several massive cranes will be used to build the steel superstructure. Steel will be erected in tiers over the next 12-14 months.
Once the steel framework is in place for the new 1.35-million-square-foot stadium, the building will be clad, mechanical, plumbing and electrical will be installed, and each of the sections of the stadium will be built out. The number of workers on the job will grow to more than 1,500 daily from the 300 people today as the work progresses.
The stadium marks one of the largest economic development projects in Western New York history with an estimated annual economic impact of $385 million and the creation of 10,000 union construction jobs, in accordance with a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) agreed to by the Buffalo Building Trades Council. According to the state, the Bills currently generate $27 million annually in direct income, sales and use taxes for New York State, Erie County and Buffalo.
The new, open-air stadium is being built across from the existing Highmark Stadium, which was built in 1973, and includes several major improvements over the existing stadium facility. It will add weather mitigation features, including extensive radiant heating and a canopy that covers 65 percent of seats, to provide protection from inclement weather. The exterior of the stadium will also include enhanced gathering sites to be utilized by fans, spectators, and members of the surrounding community.
In 2022, Governor Hochul announced a public-private stadium agreement, which includes a $600 million investment by New York State that will be recouped through taxes and economic activity that the team generates. Under the agreement, Erie County will contribute $250 million, and the Bills and NFL will invest no less than $690 million for the stadium’s construction.
