BUFFALO, NY — The Buffalo Bills and team owner Terry Pegula welcomed New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, and other dignitaries to Western New York to celebrate the topping out of new Highmark Stadium, scheduled to open in 2026.
Workers placed the last piece of structural steel atop the 156-foot-high stadium structure as part of the ceremony. The final beam was accented with an American flag, the New York State flag, and an evergreen tree, signifying good luck and prosperity for future building occupants. Before the ceremony, hundreds of partners, employees, and stakeholders signed the final beam.
A joint venture of Turner Construction Company and Gilbane Building Company provides construction management of more than 1,200 trade persons on site daily, which will continue to climb into the summer.
"This milestone marks more than the structural progress of a stadium; it reflects the spirit and strength of the Buffalo community," said Joe Byrne, Program Director, Gilbane | Turner. "We are deeply grateful to the Buffalo Bills, our dedicated staff and trade partners, and the thousands of union tradespeople — so many of whom call this region home — whose skill and commitment are bringing this landmark project to life. It is profoundly meaningful that members of the community are helping to build a venue that will serve as a source of pride and celebration for generations to come."
Construction at the site of New Highmark Stadium began with a ceremonial groundbreaking on June 5, 2023. The largest construction project in the history of Western New York is now over 50 percent complete (based on the volume of work in place). All precast stadia (seating bowl) are complete, and workers will soon begin seat installation.
Other construction milestones include:
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- Roof canopy installation continues, including the start of the snow melt system.
- The first piece of exterior precast panels was set at the beginning of March and will continue through spring and summer.
- Exterior perforated metal panel installation has begun.
- Grading and utility infrastructure for the playing field has begun with the target installation of the natural grass turf in the fall of 2025.
The topping out milestone comes just 20 months after the groundbreaking of the new 60,000-plus-seat facility, designed by the Bills in conjunction with Legends and the architectural firm Populous.
"We're incredibly proud to reach this major milestone in the construction of the new Highmark Stadium," said John LaRow, Principal-in-Charge, Gilbane | Turner. "This achievement is testament to the hard work of our skilled trade partners who have worked over 1.8 million hours to date building this state-of-the-art facility. Thanks to the incredible collaboration with the Buffalo Bills, the Gilbane | Turner team, Populous, Legends, and the support of the State of New York and Erie County, this stadium will serve as a proud beacon for the region and showcase the very best in professional sports venues."
