Buffalo Bills New Stadium Negotiations Complete
The Buffalo Bills, in conjunction with both Erie County and New York State, released a joint statement Tuesday to confirm the completion of negotiations for a new Bills stadium.
The new stadium is to be located on Abbott Road, across from the team’s current home Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. It will be a state-of-the-art open-air stadium with a minimum seating capacity of 60,000 seats and a maximum capacity of 63,000 seats.
Their statement may be read below, while the documents in their entirety, may be found here.
"New York State, Erie County and the Buffalo Bills are pleased to formally announce that all documents and contracts for the Bills new stadium project in Orchard Park have been signed and will be submitted to the Erie County Legislature for their 30-day review. Today marks another significant step taken as we approach a groundbreaking ceremony later this spring. We are thankful for the public/private partnerships we have shared to make this project in Western New York a reality."
The journey toward securing a new home for the Bills was conceptualized in 2014. However, the project did not take flight until August 2021, when the Bills, led by team ownership and Pegula Sports and Entertainment, submitted their formal proposal to representatives of the state and Erie County.
The Directors of the Erie County Stadium Corporation, a subsidiary of Empire State Development, unanimously approved the $1.4 billion new stadium deal after meeting in January. Per their agreement, a public-private partnership will cover the $1.4 billion price tag. The state will provide $600 million, the Bills will provide $550 million and the county will provide $250 million.
The deal also includes a Community Benefits Agreement, which "outlines a multi-facet program to encourage participation in the Project by the local community.
The Bills released the latest round of renderings for their future stadium in February from architectural firm Populous, which is spearheading the design process.
Groundbreaking for the stadium is set to commence within the coming weeks with major construction starting in June.
The project is expected to be completed by fall 2026.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL.
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