Construction on Highmark Stadium headed into fourth quarter

Stadium on pace to be football-ready by early August
New Highmark Stadium will be open by early August.
New Highmark Stadium is more than 90% complete. Photo credit Jim Fink/WBEN

140 Days.

That's the approximate number of days before the new Highmark Stadium opens.

The $2.2 billion Orchard Park stadium - the new home for the Buffalo Bills - is more than 90% complete and on pace to be completed, with all the inspections done by late July.

"We are keeping the cylinders moving," said Steve Ranalli, Erie County Stadium Corp. president.

Both Ranalli and Pete Guelli, Bills' chief operating officer, said the expect the ownership of the stadium to shift from Erie County to New York State by Aug. 1, via the Erie County Stadium Corp., which itself is an affiliate of Empire State Development.

Originally, the title transfer was planned for June, but extra time was needed to finish some final interior work and complete all the inspections.

"Everything is on track," Ranalli said.

The key is reaching the "substantial completion" milestone - a construction industry term that loosely translates to a project being 99% complete - in July. That would allow for the legal transfer of the property to take place.

All of those will allow the Bills to gain a certificate of substantial completion and then, they can formally move into the new stadium.

"There shouldn't be any problems," Ranalli said.

Currently, there are more than 1,500 construction workers on site, with crews on a 24/7 schedule.

And, remember just three years ago, the Abbott Road site was just a series of parking lots.

"It's pretty amazing, if you think about it," Ranalli said.

Guelli is so confident about the construction schedule that the Bills are planning to host their annual "Blue and Red" scrimmage inside the new stadium. The scrimmage typically takes place in early August.

"We are gearing up for that," Guelli said.

Formal grand opening plans are still in the planning stage. The Bills' pre-season and regular season schedule will also be released this spring, giving fans a clearer picture of the new stadium's key dates.

Even after the stadium opens, a punch list of final touches may take some of the crews through the end of the year, Ranalli said.

Meanwhile, the demolition of the current Highmark Stadium is slated to begin by late summer.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Jim Fink/WBEN