By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-09 08:50:02 | Updated at 2025-01-09 19:15:29
10 hours ago
The Buffalo Bills have released new renderings of their ongoing new stadium project that is expected to open in about a year and a half.
The facility, currently being billed as New Highmark Stadium, is set to open in July of 2026 and is expected to cost in the range of $2.1billion.
On Wednesday, the Bills released stunning new renderings of the project - showing fans what their new home will look like.
Included along with the pictures was an update to amenities and stadium features that will have fans more eager than ever to place deposits for season tickets.
The team described the audio and visual experience of the new project as 'night and day compared to the current stadium' featuring two state-of-the-art videoboards and a new acoustic system which 'allows targeting of sound to specific areas of the stadium'.
By design, the seating arrangement of the stadium's bowls are, 'much closer to the field than the current (and many other) stadiums' around the NFL.
The Buffalo Bills have released new renderings of their ongoing stadium project
The venue - set to retain the name Highmark Stadium - is projected to cost around $2.1billion
The team highlighted the stadium's concourses, audio/visual setup, and seating arrangement
The team says that the building was designed to ensure that 'accessibility and sightlines are among the best in the NFL' and confirmed that it would be fully ADA compliant.
Of course, Buffalo is known for its weather - especially its winters. The team says that each concourse will feature 'radiant heat at points of congregation'.
As far as accessibility for smart phones is concerned, the team plans to feature enhanced 5G ultra-wide band coverage in the stadium, tailgate lots, and plazas.
Another feature highlighted is the sightlines from the concourses, with the team saying that 'each concourse has 360 degree visibility directly into the bowl, keeping fans connected to the game even when they need to leave their seat to visit the frictionless food and beverage marketplaces, enhanced team stores, or use the restroom.'
The team has already begun the process to deal out season tickets to fans - with the club level seating already completely sold out. The team also says that suites have 'extremely limited availability remaining'.
Of note, the new stadium's capacity is set to be 62,000 - much smaller than the current venue's capacity of 71,000.
The Bills' current stadium in the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park opened in 1973 and is the fourth oldest venue in the NFL behind Chicago's Soldier Field (1924), Green Bay's Lambeau Field (1957), and Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium (1972).
Since opening 51 years ago, the current stadium - which has been named Rich Stadium, Ralph Wilson Stadium, and New Era Field in the past - has undergone two major renovations in 1998 and in 2013.
A photograph showing the progress of the new stadium construction from December 2023
Rich Stadium in 1973 (L) and what was then-called New Era Field in 2019 (R)
After considering sites in the city of Buffalo itself and other surrounding suburbs, the Bills confirmed that they would be staying in Orchard Park - building the new stadium just across from the current site.
The stadium is being constructed by architecture firm Populous - which has built multiple NFL stadiums in the past including Gillette Stadium, M&T Bank Stadium, and NRG Stadium. They've also designed multiple soccer venues like the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Emirates Stadium, and the new Wembley Stadium.
Buffalo is set to take part in the playoffs for the sixth season in a row as the Bills will be the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
They host the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card round on Sunday afternoon.
