Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Town of Orchard Park held its second open house on Thursday to present a number of ideas for the future of development around the new Highmark Stadium. The study plans to evaluate the potential impacts of the stadium on the area immediately surrounding the stadium and the Northwest section of town.
The town is working alongside Labella Associates as they hope to get it completed by the end of July, according to Town Supervisor Gene Majchrzak.
"What we see on opening day in 2026 is not what it's going to look like 5, 10 years from now," said Majchrzak in an interview with WBEN. "My vision 5, 10 years from now is like some of the other stadiums that we have in the NFL like Green Bay."
Orchard Park resident Eric "The Hammer" Matwijow, owner of Hammer's Lot along Abbott Road right next to the new stadium site, is worried about the money that's needed for development around the facility.
"Money is getting kind of tight to develop stuff, unless you've got deep pockets," Matwijow said with WBEN. "Terry Pegula, he might be the main developer in this project."
Anna Worang-Zizzi, the director of development tells WBEN that the next steps include developing more specific zoning proposals along with public hearings for the zoning changes.
