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ORCHARD PARK - Following a tour of the new Highmark Stadium Tuesday afternoon, my prevailing thought is that the new home of the Buffalo Bills is spectacular, and fans are going to be blown away by the fine details inside the venue.
Hey, you know the old saying, “you get what you pay for” and it certainly hits home because while ticket prices are obviously exorbitant compared to the old stadium, what you will be getting should, for most, justify the price.
In fact, that feeling will take shape even before anyone passes through the security checkpoints on their way in if you happen to spend a little time at Family Circle which will be located on the Abbott Road side of the venue.
That’s where three massive bison sculptures will stand proudly as the centerpiece attraction of a gathering area that will be beautified with landscaping and also include the Bills’ Ring of Honor where the all-time franchise greats are recognized.
“This portion of the project has taken several years to come together,” said Frank Cravotta, the senior vice president of design and stadium operations. “Right from the start, we wanted to place American bisons in front of our stadium. It’s taken a lot of hard work and coordination; we’re thrilled with the result.”
The Bills conducted a wide-ranging search that included 144 applicants, later narrowed to 20 and then to seven before choosing renowned, award-winning artist Blessing Hancock to bring to life their vision. The result is three sculptures, made of steel with a stainless steel covering, that will let everyone know where they are in the world: Buffalo, New York, home of the bison, home of the Bills.
The bull is the largest edifice at 27 feet tall and a whopping 23,000 pounds. There is also a 19-foot tall cow and a nine-foot tall calf and they will be anchored to a platform in the middle of Family Circle. Among the unique design elements, they will be able to blow smoke from their nostrils and a lighting system that can illuminate them in a variety of colors - for instance, red and blue for the Bills on game day, but perhaps green for St. Patrick’s Day.
They are being fabricated at a warehouse in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and they are so big that they will have to be shipped in pieces and then assembled upon arrival at the stadium sometime in June.
Here are a few other things I learned on the tour:
John Polka, Vice President of Stadium Development, said the finishing touches in all areas are being applied, the bulk of that on the interior of the building, and despite some delays that were caused by weather and the vandalism scandal, the project is right on schedule.
“You get to 80% and you feel great, but the last 20%, whether it’s a project like this or something at work or personal, the last 20% is always the most difficult,” Polka said. “So head down, stay in focus, nobody’s celebrating yet. We’ve got work to do, but really comfortable with where we’re at. It is a huge undertaking to get to the point we’re at and we’re just focused on getting finished.”
There is still about 10% of the outer panels that need to be installed, and the rest of the finishing work will be on things like suites, the concourses, rest rooms, putting in the final few sections of seats, getting all of the electronics in operation, and probably hundreds of other finite details.
“Just to be clear, when fans come into this building for the first large event, whether it’s blue and red or (preseason), the items we’re talking about are not items that a fan is going to notice,” Polka said.
Polka said Gilbane Turner, the construction firm, will turn the building over to the Bills when it gets to 98% completion which should be June 1. Erie County will then do a review and issue a temporary certificate of occupancy which will allow the team to take ownership. The complete certificate will come later, but that delay will not affect the schedule of events that are planned to open the stadium.
There will be several “soft opening” events held at the stadium that will afford fans their first look, but it is almost a certainty that the inaugural in-stadium event will be the Bills’ annual training camp practice when the team leaves St. John Fisher University for a day to conduct a camp practice in Orchard Park.
Typically, that drew crowds in the 15,000 to 30,000 range at the old stadium, but this one will likely pack the new 60,000-seat stadium. A date has not been finalized but based on previous year scheduling, signs point to Friday, Aug. 7. It is also not known whether this will be a free event, but it most likely will require a ticket and one can assume season ticket holders will get first crack.
Thereafter, Chief Operating Office Pete Guelli told me the Bills are scheduled to host two preseason games this year, and in all likelihood, they will not petition the NFL to reduce that to one or even zero because they want to use those games, along with the blue and red practice, to iron out all potential issues that could arise before the regular season.
As for the regular season home opener, the NFL does not release its schedule until May, but there is much speculation that the Bills will open the home portion of the 2026 season in Week 2.
When you go to enter the building, your first stop will be at security checkpoints that are set back from the stadium doors. Once you get through security you will proceed to the building to get your tickets scanned, and you will find yourself in wide open concourses that afford a view of the seating bowl.
The Bills believe that doing this will make ingress an easier and less time-consuming process.
One of the key features in the new stadium will be its ability to reduce the wind factor down on the field. With the field at ground level as opposed to below ground at the old stadium, the building’s height - around 200 feet - automatically cuts down on the wind, as will the perforated outer shell of the venue which is designed to deflect the wind and funnel it away from the field.
To understand how the stadium is performing, there are wind gauges situated on the fields of both stadiums, as well as one outside the new stadium, and that data is being reviewed on a daily basis and Polka said there is a stark difference in wind speeds.
In fact, a couple weeks ago when heavy winds hit Orchard Park, they got a great sense of that difference because outside the stadium there were tarps being blown away, but inside it was relatively calm by comparison. To be clear, there will still be wind, but it won’t be anything like it was in the old stadium.
The new playing surface is natural grass and it already looks nearly game-ready despite the time of year. The sidelines are artificial turf in order to prevent a mucky mess in inclement weather.
However, carved into the artificial turf are four natural grass squares, two on each side of the field, so that kickers and punters can kick into their net while still being able to have the field conditions under their feet.
There are a few other grass field stadiums around the league that have incorporated this feature and the Bills felt it was worth copying.
At the old stadium, the franchise greats had their name and number affixed to the facades at both ends, the Wall of Fame. In the new stadium, there will be a display area for the players who have their numbers retired - Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith - as well as original team owner Ralph Wilson.
As for the Wall of Fame, it will be relocated to Family Circle and those four men along with every other member of the Wall of Fame will be recognized with their name and number, if applicable, on a plaque. And yes, there is room for expansion so someday, Josh Allen will get a spot.
Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for more than four decades including 37 years as the full-time beat writer/columnist for the D&C. He has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at [email protected], and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @salmaiorana.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills’ new stadium nears completion with bison statues taking shape
Continue reading...
Hey, you know the old saying, “you get what you pay for” and it certainly hits home because while ticket prices are obviously exorbitant compared to the old stadium, what you will be getting should, for most, justify the price.
In fact, that feeling will take shape even before anyone passes through the security checkpoints on their way in if you happen to spend a little time at Family Circle which will be located on the Abbott Road side of the venue.
That’s where three massive bison sculptures will stand proudly as the centerpiece attraction of a gathering area that will be beautified with landscaping and also include the Bills’ Ring of Honor where the all-time franchise greats are recognized.
“This portion of the project has taken several years to come together,” said Frank Cravotta, the senior vice president of design and stadium operations. “Right from the start, we wanted to place American bisons in front of our stadium. It’s taken a lot of hard work and coordination; we’re thrilled with the result.”
The Bills conducted a wide-ranging search that included 144 applicants, later narrowed to 20 and then to seven before choosing renowned, award-winning artist Blessing Hancock to bring to life their vision. The result is three sculptures, made of steel with a stainless steel covering, that will let everyone know where they are in the world: Buffalo, New York, home of the bison, home of the Bills.
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The bull is the largest edifice at 27 feet tall and a whopping 23,000 pounds. There is also a 19-foot tall cow and a nine-foot tall calf and they will be anchored to a platform in the middle of Family Circle. Among the unique design elements, they will be able to blow smoke from their nostrils and a lighting system that can illuminate them in a variety of colors - for instance, red and blue for the Bills on game day, but perhaps green for St. Patrick’s Day.
They are being fabricated at a warehouse in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and they are so big that they will have to be shipped in pieces and then assembled upon arrival at the stadium sometime in June.
Here are a few other things I learned on the tour:
Construction of Bills new stadium is about 93% complete
John Polka, Vice President of Stadium Development, said the finishing touches in all areas are being applied, the bulk of that on the interior of the building, and despite some delays that were caused by weather and the vandalism scandal, the project is right on schedule.
“You get to 80% and you feel great, but the last 20%, whether it’s a project like this or something at work or personal, the last 20% is always the most difficult,” Polka said. “So head down, stay in focus, nobody’s celebrating yet. We’ve got work to do, but really comfortable with where we’re at. It is a huge undertaking to get to the point we’re at and we’re just focused on getting finished.”
There is still about 10% of the outer panels that need to be installed, and the rest of the finishing work will be on things like suites, the concourses, rest rooms, putting in the final few sections of seats, getting all of the electronics in operation, and probably hundreds of other finite details.
“Just to be clear, when fans come into this building for the first large event, whether it’s blue and red or (preseason), the items we’re talking about are not items that a fan is going to notice,” Polka said.
Polka said Gilbane Turner, the construction firm, will turn the building over to the Bills when it gets to 98% completion which should be June 1. Erie County will then do a review and issue a temporary certificate of occupancy which will allow the team to take ownership. The complete certificate will come later, but that delay will not affect the schedule of events that are planned to open the stadium.
First big event at new Bills stadium will be red and blue practice
You must be registered for see images attach
There will be several “soft opening” events held at the stadium that will afford fans their first look, but it is almost a certainty that the inaugural in-stadium event will be the Bills’ annual training camp practice when the team leaves St. John Fisher University for a day to conduct a camp practice in Orchard Park.
Typically, that drew crowds in the 15,000 to 30,000 range at the old stadium, but this one will likely pack the new 60,000-seat stadium. A date has not been finalized but based on previous year scheduling, signs point to Friday, Aug. 7. It is also not known whether this will be a free event, but it most likely will require a ticket and one can assume season ticket holders will get first crack.
Thereafter, Chief Operating Office Pete Guelli told me the Bills are scheduled to host two preseason games this year, and in all likelihood, they will not petition the NFL to reduce that to one or even zero because they want to use those games, along with the blue and red practice, to iron out all potential issues that could arise before the regular season.
As for the regular season home opener, the NFL does not release its schedule until May, but there is much speculation that the Bills will open the home portion of the 2026 season in Week 2.
New Bills stadium entrance will be two-pronged process
When you go to enter the building, your first stop will be at security checkpoints that are set back from the stadium doors. Once you get through security you will proceed to the building to get your tickets scanned, and you will find yourself in wide open concourses that afford a view of the seating bowl.
The Bills believe that doing this will make ingress an easier and less time-consuming process.
Wind gauges providing valuable information
You must be registered for see images attach
One of the key features in the new stadium will be its ability to reduce the wind factor down on the field. With the field at ground level as opposed to below ground at the old stadium, the building’s height - around 200 feet - automatically cuts down on the wind, as will the perforated outer shell of the venue which is designed to deflect the wind and funnel it away from the field.
To understand how the stadium is performing, there are wind gauges situated on the fields of both stadiums, as well as one outside the new stadium, and that data is being reviewed on a daily basis and Polka said there is a stark difference in wind speeds.
In fact, a couple weeks ago when heavy winds hit Orchard Park, they got a great sense of that difference because outside the stadium there were tarps being blown away, but inside it was relatively calm by comparison. To be clear, there will still be wind, but it won’t be anything like it was in the old stadium.
Kickers have a unique field feature at new Highmark Stadium
The new playing surface is natural grass and it already looks nearly game-ready despite the time of year. The sidelines are artificial turf in order to prevent a mucky mess in inclement weather.
However, carved into the artificial turf are four natural grass squares, two on each side of the field, so that kickers and punters can kick into their net while still being able to have the field conditions under their feet.
There are a few other grass field stadiums around the league that have incorporated this feature and the Bills felt it was worth copying.
Retired numbers will reside inside new Highmark Stadium
At the old stadium, the franchise greats had their name and number affixed to the facades at both ends, the Wall of Fame. In the new stadium, there will be a display area for the players who have their numbers retired - Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith - as well as original team owner Ralph Wilson.
As for the Wall of Fame, it will be relocated to Family Circle and those four men along with every other member of the Wall of Fame will be recognized with their name and number, if applicable, on a plaque. And yes, there is room for expansion so someday, Josh Allen will get a spot.
Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for more than four decades including 37 years as the full-time beat writer/columnist for the D&C. He has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at [email protected], and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @salmaiorana.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills’ new stadium nears completion with bison statues taking shape
Continue reading...
