A Milestone Three Years in the Making

Construction on the new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park began in June 2023. Three years later, the $2.2 billion facility is on the verge of becoming official. Erie County issued a temporary certificate of occupancy (TCO) for the new stadium this week, clearing the way for the Buffalo Bills to begin moving in, and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz confirmed that a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking substantial completion will be held on June 23, 2026. The event will be hosted jointly by Erie County, New York State, and the Buffalo Bills organization.

The TCO — issued after the stadium met the threshold required for non-construction personnel to occupy and use the building — was described by Poloncarz as an essential transition milestone. "The reality is, if [the Bills] had to play a game there today, they probably could," Poloncarz said. The Bills said the project is 96 to 97 percent complete as of early June, with remaining work concentrated in the concourses, seating bowl, and premium suite areas. The Gilbane/Turner joint venture construction team remains on site completing punch list items.

What the Stadium Cost and Who Paid for It

The new Highmark Stadium has a final construction cost of $2.2 billion — a significant increase from the original $1.4 billion estimate set in 2022 when the deal was signed. According to Sports Business Journal, the guaranteed maximum price settled at $2.2 billion in mid-2025, with the Bills' owners, Terry and Kim Pegula of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, absorbing all costs above the $1.54 billion threshold at which the public contribution was locked.

The public investment totals $850 million: $600 million from New York State and $250 million from Erie County. Poloncarz noted that the county's total contribution amounts to approximately 12 percent of the final project cost — below what was feared when cost overruns became public in late 2024. The remainder of the $2.2 billion was covered by the Bills using a combination of NFL G-4 loan funds and team-level financing. New York State's contribution was funded in part through Seneca Nation gaming compact revenue.

The stadium measures 1.7 million square feet — 600,000 more than the facility it replaces — with a capacity of 60,108 fixed seats and the potential to expand to approximately 66,000 for special events. Features include a canopy that shields most seats from snow, a heated playing field and concourses, climate-controlled warmup areas for both teams, and 1,755 suite/loge seats plus 4,500 club seats — a dramatic upgrade in premium capacity from the old facility.

Ownership Transfer to New York State

One of the more consequential aspects of this week's milestone is what it sets in motion for ownership. Once all documents are signed and recorded — expected by mid-summer — the stadium and the Abbott Road land in Orchard Park will be formally owned by the Erie County Stadium Corporation, an affiliate of Empire State Development Corporation. This marks the first time an NFL stadium in New York has been directly owned by a state entity rather than a county.

Erie County is exiting the stadium ownership business. Poloncarz confirmed the county will still provide services on game days — including Sheriff's deputies and road management on Abbott Road — but will be reimbursed by the Bills organization for those costs. The terms are still being finalized. The formal ownership transfer is expected to advance in early August, just ahead of the first preseason action.

The Bills have already begun moving football operations staff and office personnel into the building, and concessions setup is now underway inside. A job fair offering approximately 500 positions was announced at the Kaleida Health Sports Performance Center at One Bills Drive for June 15, as the stadium's food, beverage, and event operations team begins to staff up.

First Events and the Season Calendar

The first official event inside the new Highmark Stadium will be the Buffalo Bills' annual Blue and Red Practice, a public training camp scrimmage set for August 8, 2026. Two preseason games will follow. The regular season home opener is scheduled for September 17, 2026. A formal opening ceremony separate from the ribbon cutting is also being planned for sometime between the ribbon cutting and the first preseason game.

The team has confirmed that a formal certificate of occupancy — distinct from the temporary certificate already issued — will follow this summer once all remaining construction deficiencies are resolved. The Gilbane/Turner team is expected to remain on site completing those items well into the fall even after the season begins.

Old Stadium Demolition Is Underway

Across Abbott Road, the old Highmark Stadium — the facility that served as the Bills' home from 1973 through the 2025 season — is already coming down. Power was disconnected at the former stadium on May 1, and demolition contractor Breeze National is handling the teardown. The demolition is expected to be completed by March 2027. Memorabilia and structural components from the old facility are being salvaged and offered for sale to Bills fans. The site of the old stadium will ultimately be redeveloped, likely as mixed-use or public amenity space adjacent to the new facility.

The simultaneous construction of a $2.2 billion stadium and demolition of its predecessor on adjacent parcels represents a construction logistics challenge that relatively few NFL markets have faced in the modern era. The Orchard Park site has been, in effect, a dual-phase heavy construction zone since June 2023. With substantial completion now in sight, the construction industry activity will shift from building to occupancy and finishing — and then to the year-plus teardown of the old bowl.

Context: WNY's Largest Construction Project

The new Highmark Stadium has been the largest active construction project in Western New York history by dollar value throughout its build cycle. Its completion — even partial — marks a transition for the region's construction labor market, as the hundreds of subcontractors and specialty trades firms that have worked on the project over three years begin to redirect capacity to other projects in the region. Erie County Executive Poloncarz framed the milestone plainly: "We are almost there."

Sources

• WKBW 7 News Buffalo — Ribbon cutting for new Highmark Stadium to be held on June 23 (June 4, 2026)
• WBEN / Audacy — Why June 1 is a milestone day for new Highmark Stadium (June 1, 2026)
• WBEN / Audacy — Substantial completion for new Highmark Stadium expected June 23 (June 5, 2026)
• Sports Business Journal — Buffalo's $2.2B Highmark Stadium: amenities and construction overview (January 19, 2026)