Town of Hamburg exploring rezoning near new Highmark Stadium

Hamburg, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Town of Hamburg is getting its ducks in a row for possible rezoning and development around the new Highmark Stadium, slated to open in 2026.

Recent attention has been focused on the Town of Orchard Park when it comes to stadium development, but the Town of Hamburg is very much a player in this. The new stadium is located in the Town of Orchard Park, but it is right on the border with neighboring Hamburg.

"We started thinking about this back when we were working on our comprehensive plan, which we adopted a little over a year ago," explained Hamburg Board member Beth Farrell Lorentz with WBEN on Tuesday. "We identified several areas that needed possible rezoning."

Areas include the Erie Community College South Campus, located directly next to the new stadium. Another area is on Camp Road near the Thruway interchange, as well as the McKinley corridor.

Last year, the town applied for, and received, a $126,000 Smart Growth Communities grant.

The Hamburg Town Board has hired a consultant and project manager to lead the effort to update the zoning in, what officials are calling, the "Stadium Economic Impact Area."

"We just started to take a look at how everything is currently zoned," Farrell-Lorentz said. "We think there is potential here to revitalize that area and build on new synergy from the new stadium. But whatever we do, it can't be predicated on those 10 games a year. It needs to be sustained beyond Bills games."

She says the town wants to make sure they set the stage, and guide whatever happens there, rather than letting it happen in a "live, work, play culture."