BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Construction at the new Highmark Stadium, the future home of the Buffalo Bills, is on schedule for completion by July 2026, according to project leaders.
7 News was invited to go inside the construction site for the new stadium, where team officials say progress has been steady over the last several months despite a challenging winter.
“We are making good progress and are on time,” said Pete Guelli, executive vice president of the Buffalo Bills. “We have no choice but to be ready in July (2026). This building has to be ready for the football team and our fans.”
In April, the team held a ceremony to celebrate the installation of the final structural steel beam at the new stadium.
The $2.1 billion facility will feature state-of-the-art technology aimed at enhancing the fan experience.
Verizon has been named the exclusive wireless telecommunications partner of the new stadium and will serve as a founding partner.
Chris Flood, Atlantic North Market President for Verizon, expressed optimism about the impact of the technology on game day experiences.
"Our technology will provide a much better experience for fans coming to enjoy the game," Flood said.
The stadium will incorporate a neutral host Distributed Antenna System (DAS) that promises a seamless “street to seat” experience for fans. This advanced network will allow fans to easily share videos and check fantasy scores while attending games, both inside and around the facility.
Verizon is also committed to expanding the network to accommodate the 80,000 passionate Bills fans in and around the new Highmark Stadium on gameday.
“That’s not only covering the 60,000 fans in here, but we know how important and passionate Bills Mafia is, we are going to be expanding poles and the system to cover all 20,000 fans in the parking lot as well,” said Jake Kornblatt from Verizon Business.
According to Bills officials, the state-of-the-art network will drastically improve connectivity compared to the current Highmark Stadium, which has faced challenges with latency and cellular technology.
“Night and day, completely,” said Shaun Handley from the Buffalo Bills regarding the improvements expected with the new stadium.
In addition to game day enhancements, Verizon is providing temporary Wi-Fi access points to support ongoing construction. The company will also implement a private wireless network for coaches, aiding in game-day communication. The network will also help support concession sales and ticketing operations.
As the project moves forward, Guelli emphasized the critical role of technology in enhancing the fan experience.
“I don’t think there is anything more important for our fan experience than the technology side of it,” he stated.
Guelli sat down with 7 Sports at the NFL League Meetings in West Palm Beach in March and said the current stadium is set to be demolished in March of 2027, after the conclusion of the Bills' first full season inside the new Highmark Stadium.
You can watch our conversation with Guelli from March below and read more here.
What happens to the area around the stadium once the current stadium is demolished? Orchard Park’s development has become a hot topic among the organization, Orchard Park residents, and state officials. That's another topic we spoke to Guelli about. You can watch our report below and read more here.
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