Bills Stadium Budget Stays Fixed Despite Rising Costs

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Over the next year, construction for the new Buffalo Bills stadium in Orchard Park is expected to ramp up significantly, as the project moves closer to its completion.

Key Points

• New York state is contributing $600 million to the construction of the new Highmark Stadium, while Erie County has committed $250 million.
• Both the county and state will fulfill their financial obligations within the next year, after which any additional costs will be covered by the Buffalo Bills.
• The overall cost of the stadium has escalated from an initial estimate of $1.4 billion to more than $2 billion.
• Steve Ranalli, president of the Erie County Stadium Corporation, spoke about the project’s progression, saying, “Like any typical construction project, they start out slow, they really ramp up and then they wind down. And we’re in that period where we’re pretty ramped up out on the site.”

Back in January 2023, the Erie County Stadium Corporation approved a plan that solidified the financial contributions of both the state and the county. The state agreed to pay $600 million, and Erie County pledged $250 million toward the construction of the new stadium.

“Right now, just to be clear, both sides are paying their pro-rata share,” Ranalli clarified. “And once that money is all spent, then the Bills will be 100%.”

As the project moves forward, construction costs have significantly outpaced initial estimates. What was once projected to be a $1.4 billion project has now ballooned to over $2 billion. Despite these rising costs, the state and county’s financial commitments will not increase.

“The state’s contribution remains at $600 million regardless of what the total project cost is and we all know the cost of the stadium increased significantly,” Ranalli explained.

This year, the state will disburse the final $275 million of its pledged funding.

“The payment schedule sort of sticks to the original deal,” Ranalli added. “So that just means the state and the county will pay out our funds this year and then again moving into next year, the Bills will pick up all the additional costs.”

The construction is progressing on schedule, and the stadium is expected to be completed by 2026. The new venue is expected to provide fans with an incredible experience once it opens its doors.

“We’re happy for the fans and for the people who are going to get into that stadium,” Ranalli said. “That it is going to be absolutely amazing.”

In spite of the rising costs, the Buffalo Bills and their supporters are eager for the project’s completion, confident that the new stadium will be a premier destination for years to come.

Originally reported by Halena Sepulveda in Spectrum Local News.