BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - When Mary Wilson starts talking about new Highmark Stadium, her eyes light up and she gets a Cheshire cat-like grin across her face.
Yes, she is that pumped up and excited about the new, $2.2 billion home of the Buffalo Bills.
"Buffalo really deserves the best," Mrs. Wilson says. "What we have is the most incredible new stadium in the NFL."
The new stadium will have a formal ribbon cutting ceremony on June 23 and Mrs. Wilson will be there.
Mrs. Wilson, 81, knows her way around an NFL stadium.
It comes with the turf when your husband, Ralph C. Wilson Jr., was the Buffalo Bills founder and owned the team since its inception in 1959 until his death in 2014.
The "old" Highmark Stadium, which opened in 1973, had its last game played there in January. Its demolition started earlier this spring.
"I do have some great memories," Mrs. Wilson said.
The only piece of memorabilia Mrs. Wilson took with her was her husband's name - spelled out in gold letters - that hung in the team's end zone "Wall of Fame."
For 17 years - between 1998 and 2015 - the Orchard Park stadium was called Ralph Wilson Stadium - or, as fans called it "The Ralph."
Mrs. Wilson said her late husband would have been a fan of the new stadium, especially because it remains largely an outdoor, open air stadium.
"Ralph would have been very happy with the open air design," Mrs. Wilson said, "Ralph always believed that football was made to be played outdoors. He would have loved to see snow still falling in there."
As for the fans, Mrs. Wilson said the new stadium really belongs to them.
"The people helped build it," Mrs. Wilson said.
And, yes, Mrs. Wilson will be in her suite when the stadium opens.
"I'm excited about opening day," Mrs. Wilson said.
Ralph Wilson's widow impressed with new stadium
Ralph Wilson's widow impressed with new stadium
