Bills fans amazed at progress of construction for new Highmark Stadium

Pittsford, N.Y. (WBEN) - While the excitement for the upcoming season of football continues across Western New York, there's also plenty of excitement surrounding the progress of construction of the new Highmark Stadium along Abbott Road in Orchard Park.

For the Buffalo Bills fans who maybe haven't seen the stadium construction progress since the end of last season, the structure is a towering surprise with steel beginning to rise above the tree line in Orchard Park. It's something that many fans will get a chance to see ahead of Saturday's preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers at the current facility across the street.

However, plenty of Bills fans have already gotten the chance to catch the structural marvel that continues to progress towards completion in 2026.

"I mean, obviously, it's not close to done yet, but you can kind of see the rows of where the seats will be, the layers of the stadium. Just in the few months it's been since wintertime, it's crazy to see how much work they've put in so far," said Bills fan Corey Teed from Livonia, N.Y. "And an experience like that to see what it will look like finished, that's so awesome. I can't wait."

"We drive by it all the time and see the progress as it goes," added Bills fan Mike from Hamburg. "Every time I drive by, it amazes. A new level comes up, it's totally getting redone. It looks beautiful."

Despite living across the state in Albany, Bills fan Eric Heller says he's been keeping tabs on the construction progress.

"It's awesome. It's coming up a lot faster than I expected it would," said Heller in an interview with WBEN. "I watched beforehand how it's modeled pretty much after Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, and it looks great. It's gonna be great when it's open. I can't wait."

Bills fan Rick from Rochester is also excited by the premise of the new Highmark Stadium being modeled similarly to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"I'm really hoping they can kind of bring that influence of a European soccer field to it, and have that," said Rick with WBEN. "I go to a lot of European soccer games, and it's brilliant, the atmosphere of the game. I just really hope they can bring that to Buffalo."

Fans like Mike Ryan from Tonawanda feel the weather has really helped construction efforts for the new stadium in Orchard Park.

"The winter wasn't real, real bad, and then we've had our rainy days, but we've had our sunny days. I think that has helped the progress of the stadium, and it is looking good," said Ryan.

While the stadium is still several months away from being completed, fans are already looking forward to the finished product, and what may be in store for "Bills Mafia".

Bills fan Anthony from Geneseo is hoping the Bills pay homage to some of the franchise greats of years past, especially those from the Super Bowl years in the 1990s.

"I know stadiums have a statue dedicated to players like the Colts did for Johnny Unitas and also Peyton Manning, and Ray Lewis for the Ravens. I know they [plan for] the buffalo statues outside in front, but I want to know, are they going to put a statue out to the greatest teams ever in Buffalo Bills history that went to four-straight Super Bowls, but never won any of them? That's what I'm hoping to see, because that's a big thing," said Anthony with WBEN.

Ryan is also excited to see the buffaloes statue in front of the stadium, but there's another additional feature that intrigues him.

"Just the design where [the outer façade is] going to be a filter to filter out the wind, and block some of it. I'm really interested to see how that works," he said.

Meanwhile, some Bills fans are just hoping that the game day experience for "Bills Mafia" remains a staple of football in Western New York.

"I'm gonna miss the current stadium, but we've got to grow. The whole experience for the fans, that's really what people are looking for, and the visibility, undercover a little bit. I'll be out in the stands when it's snowing, I don't care. But I think the whole fan experience is what people are looking for," Heller said.

"I hope it's going to be based on the fans first with best views, the crowd noise up a bit," echoed Mike. "As far as like the amenities go, honestly as a Bills fan, I'm more worried about just seeing the game, watching the game, being up front."

Rick is also hoping for the atmosphere at Bills games to ramp up in order to make "Bills Mafia" an X factor for other teams coming to Orchard Park.

"I'm really hoping the noise gets funneled back to the field so we can compete with like [Kansas City], with the decibel levels and everything, and make it a fortress. Make it so teams don't want to come here," he said.

As for Teed, he likes how the Bills kept the outdoor feel to football with the way the team has designed it.

"That's kind of gives us an edge a little bit up here in Upstate New York. It gets pretty cold in the wintertime, so it still gives us that edge rather having the dome where it's nice and warm. Keep all them Southern teams out of here," Teed said.

With the new stadium on the horizon in a couple of seasons, what will be some of the lasting memories of the old stadium across the street, which has been open since 1973?

For some, it's just the nostalgic feel of the old stadium that will remain vivid for years to come.

"Just the old school feel of a '70s football game. That's how I'll always remember it, and you never forget it," said Heller.

"The names around the stadium of all the players and stuff. I just like that it's still one of the older, kind of smaller stadiums. I kind of don't want the new big one, but I do, so I'm in the middle," Teed added. "But it's just nice they'll keep the old style with some new features. But you just can't beat that old open air, the sound, the craziness. I love it."

Ryan has plenty of memories as a longtime Season Ticket holder, but the one that may stand out to him was the goalposts.

"The goalposts being torn down after we finally beat the Dolphins. I was at that game, and I'll never forget it," Ryan noted. "I wanted to run onto the field, but I had people holding me back. That would probably be the one that really stood out for me. And then there's all the playoff games, but that one, I don't know, it's just beating the Dolphins."

Another memorable game at the old Rich Stadium will stand out for Anthony for years to come.

"During the 1990 AFC Conference title [game], we had the greatest game ever, where the Bills blew out the Raiders, 51-3. That, to me, is the greatest game ever," he said. "The Bills got the highest conference title score ever in the history of the game, and no one has ever come even close, or even sniffed that by far. When that stadium is gone and it's just a parking space, I'm gonna say to everybody when I'm old, 'That is where the greatest game ever happened, right then and there.'"