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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Construction on the new Highmark Stadium, the future home of the Buffalo Bills, is progressing on schedule and expected to be completed by July 2026, project leaders confirmed.
7 News got an exclusive look inside the construction site, where team officials noted steady progress over recent months, despite dealing with a harsh winter.
“We’re on track and making solid progress,” said Pete Guelli, Executive VP of the Bills. “There’s no alternative — the stadium must be ready by July 2026 for both the team and our fans.”
In April, the team marked a major milestone by placing the final structural steel beam. The new $2.1 billion stadium will include cutting-edge technology aimed at improving the overall fan experience.
Verizon has been announced as the exclusive wireless partner and one of the founding partners of the stadium. Chris Flood, Atlantic North Market President at Verizon, said fans can expect a much-enhanced game day experience thanks to the tech being installed.
The stadium will feature a neutral host Distributed Antenna System (DAS), designed to offer fans a seamless “street to seat” connection. This high-performance network will enable fans to upload videos and follow fantasy football in real time throughout the stadium and surrounding areas.
Verizon is also boosting the network infrastructure to support 80,000 Bills fans, including the 20,000 tailgating in the parking lot, according to Verizon’s Jake Kornblatt.
Bills officials said the new stadium will offer vastly superior connectivity compared to the current facility, which has long struggled with service quality. “It’ll be a complete night-and-day difference,” said Shaun Handley of the Bills.
Verizon is also assisting during the construction phase by providing temporary Wi-Fi and will install a private wireless network to aid coaches on game day, as well as support ticketing and concessions operations.
Guelli stressed that technology will play a major role in the stadium’s ability to elevate the fan experience.
“Nothing is more important to improving the fan experience than the technology,” he said.
During a March interview at the NFL League Meetings in West Palm Beach, Guelli confirmed that the current Highmark Stadium is scheduled to be demolished in March 2027, following the Bills’ first full season in the new venue.
As for what comes next for the site of the old stadium, Guelli noted that the future development of the area around it in Orchard Park is a major talking point among Bills leadership, local residents, and state officials. Further coverage of that topic is available in an additional report.
