Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN/WGR 550) - Some recent developments are taking shape towards finalizing the plans to build a new football stadium for the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park across the street from Highmark Stadium on Abbott Road.
WGR Bills beat reporter Sal Capaccio confirms that in Dallas on Wednesday, NFL owners met and approved a lease extension for the Bills to play out the next few years at Highmark Stadium. In addition, owners voted in approval of the 30-year lease slated for the Bills when they move into their new stadium for the 2026 season.
Securing a lease extension to continue play at Highmark Stadium while the new facility is being built is just one of the remaining factors that needed to be finalized in order to move forward with shovels hitting the ground sometime in 2023.
The 30-year lease agreement for the Bills at their new stadium was originally agreed upon back in March when the team, Erie County and New York State agreed on the new stadium deal.
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After being presented with the findings of the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) last week Thursday, the Erie County Legislature will take some additional time to review the findings and wait for additional finalized documents to come in.
WBEN has learned on Wednesday the initial plan is for members of the Legislature to vote on the SEQR review on Thursday, Jan. 5 during the first session of the 2023 calendar year.
With the findings of the SEQR review having been presented, the next step is for the Legislature to vote on the documents to determine if there is, or not a significant environmental impact with the future home of the Bills across the street from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.
A negative declaration on the SEQR would bring an end to that part of this process, and then kickstart the 30-day deadline to finalize the entirety of the new stadium deal.
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