The Buffalo Bills new stadium is getting closer to completion, but how far along is construction on the new home for the only team playing in New York State?
Construction of the new stadium for the Buffalo Bills is entering the fourth quarter.
In an update on the new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY, Erie County Stadium Corporation president Steve Ranalli said that the building is 75% complete. Ranalli says that there are more than 1,500 people working on site on a given day, allowing construction to continue at the required pace.
So far, $1.6 billion has been spent on the construction of the stadium. That comes in at around 62% of the expected final $2.1-$2.2 billion price tag. Regarding who's paying the bill, $850 million is coming from Erie County and New York State as part of the negotiated deal. Everything above that is being funded by Bills owner Terry Pegula.
"By the end of this month, any money spent will be paid 100% by the Buffalo Bills," Ranalli told media.
The new Highmark Stadium, which is located across the street from the current stadium, is scheduled to open in June or July 2026.
Construction of the stadium began on June 5, 2023, with the goal to be open for the start of the 2026 season. As the weeks and months went by, there have some reports suggesting that construction is slightly behind schedule. However, Ranalli says that everyone is confident that the 62,000-seat stadium will be ready in time.
"You know, based on where they are today in terms of where the billing and things like that, we have confidence they have made up a lot of that time," he said.
As far as what's currently being done in the stadium, crews have moved to working on interior work such as plumbing, electrical, and mechanical. Ranalli added that drywall is going up, carpets are being laid own, and finishes are being installed, among other tasks.
When it was first announced in March 2022, the cost was expected to be $1.4 billion. That rose over the next year to $1.7 billion due to increased cost of materials and labor. That has since ballooned to the aforementioned $2 billion-plus amount.
Once the new stadium is complete and the 2025 season ends, work on demolishing the 52-year-old (current) Highmark Stadium will begin. That cost, which the Bills are paying for themselves, is expected to run between $30-$35 million.