Eric Matwijow has a front row seat to history, with construction on the new Buffalo Bills stadium happening just a stones throw from his front door on Abbott Road in Orchard Park. Eric also owns the famed "Hammers Lot" just across the street, which is a popular spot for tailgaters.
"It's a sacrifice by a few people, me and my neighbor and a couple of other people to the benefit of the whole community."
Since breaking ground in June on the new 60,000 seat, state of the art facility, Eric has had to contend with a lot of noise and dust but says "it's a sacrifice by a few people, me and my neighbor and a couple of other people to the benefit of the whole community."
"A project like this is once in a lifetime for many communities."
One of the benefits to the Western New York community is jobs.
Governor Kathy Hochul predicts work on the new Bills stadium will create 10,000 local construction jobs.
The joint venture of Gilbane-Turneris in charge of managing construction. The group is working to connect certified local contractors with companies bidding for stadium jobs on a larger level.
"It's almost like speed dating," explains Deb Pereria the Deputy Program Director for Gilbane-Turner.
Opportunity for all is a major part of the stadium deal. The Community Benefits Agreement includes a 36% goal of including minority, women and veteran owned businesses in construction.
Click here to see what else is included in the Community Benefits Agreement
"We want to make sure that every member of the community really feels a part of a project like this."
Fuquan Collins is the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer with Gilbane Turner. He says opportunity sessions continue to be held as they work toward fulfilling those diversity goals.
"When this level of investment has been made by the community, that's why it's extremely important for us that the communities see the dividends with that," says Collins.
Meet some of the interested contractors
Esteban Guerrero
"As a minority contractor to see if I could work with some of the larger companies and see if I have the opportunity and the skill set to do some of the smaller stuff."
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Jamie McDonough
"We all have a common goal. We're trying to take care of the Buffalo Bills stadium. We are very proud of our Bills and we want to make sure this project comes in on time and safely."
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Yves Richard Blanc
"It can change the trajectory of my business as well as being a part of this history making type of build."
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"It's opportunity ... it's a question of what we do with that opportunity."
So as plans at the stadium site take shape, stakeholders are also focusing on how the surrounding community will grow thanks to this new investment.
Gene Majchrzak is the Orchard Park Town Supervisor. He envisions development on properties bordering both the new stadium and the current stadium near Southwestern Boulevard. He says the Town Board would be willing to rezone those areas to accommodate interested developers but admits it will come down to the number of events scheduled at the new stadium.
"The Bills have been here for 50 years," says Majchrzak. And it's been nothing but eight to ten football games a year. A developer is not going to come here and spend millons of dollars for ten football games. So the way I understand it, the stadium is going to be used for a lot of different types of opportunities other than football games and concerts so that presents and an opportunity to local developers."
"The right half of my brain says that's a lot of money, but the left half of my brain says this is going to be the new heart of the region."
Matthew Roland and Conrad Kickert are professors with the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning. The school also focuses on the economic impact of various projects, like the new Bills stadium.
They say additional boosts to the economy will continue as the new stadium continues to evolve as a regional destination. They say that draw comes with scheduling for things other than football, special events, conventions, even big concerts with headliners like Taylor Swift.
"They need to heavily program that stadium to make sure that it has visitors every week, several times a week," explains Kickert. "That's where Taylor Swift shows up. That's where musical events take place. that's the only way to make sure that your stadium isn't just surrounded by a parking lot and people leave again."
