Gov. Kathy Hochul visited the site of the new Buffalo Bills stadium on Friday to announce that the project has hit a major milestone.
Bills owner Terry Pegula, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and other local officials joined Hochul at the site to kick off the start of structural steel construction.
Hochul also congratulated the more than 800 workers who contributed to this milestone.
“This major construction milestone is a testament to the union labor and local workers who have made this project possible,” Hochul said. “By creating thousands of jobs, this stadium has already proven to be an engine for regional economic development. I am proud of all that has been accomplished and am excited to witness future progress as we move closer to opening day in 2026.”
This marks the completion of excavation seven months after breaking ground in June 2023. Steel will be built in tiers over the next 12-14 months.
The event included the signing of a 20-foot steel beam by Gov. Hochul and hundreds of workers who completed the first phase of construction. The beam will be used in the stadium structure.
The new 60,000-seat facility was designed by the Bills along with Legends Hospitality and the architectural firm Populous.