Tag: highmark stadium

Bills suggest fans arrive to Highmark Stadium early for Steelers opener

#Bills suggest fans arrive to Highmark Stadium early for #Steelers opener:

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Due to staffing shortages for the Buffalo Bills at ticket gates, the team has suggested that those heading to Sunday’s season opener vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers should get there a bit earlier than usual.

In a message to season-ticket holders sent out via e-mail on Tuesday, the Bills said lines at gates might be a little longer than fans are used to. The reason cited was the prior mentioned staffing shortages.

The message reads:

We are so excited to be hosting fans at full capacity for our opening game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 12. We wanted to provide some information about gate entry so you can prepare ahead of time. Like many businesses right now, we are experiencing some staffing challenges and our game day personnel will need to operate even more efficiently than normal to make gate entry run smoothly. As a result, we recommend that you enter the stadium much earlier than you may be accustomed to in order to be in your seats for kickoff.

To help make sure you don’t miss kickoff, we are opening the gates 30 minutes earlier beginning at 11:00 a.m. We strongly recommend that you arrive at the gate entry area no later than 12:00pm. Anyone arriving to the gates after 12:00pm could be in jeopardy of missing kickoff.

Disappointing measure, but Bills fans, you have been warned.

And in saying that, remember one thing: Don’t take out any frustrations on employees at the gates who are there and working. It isn’t their fault, after all.

A final note: Masks are required at the stadium. Proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test result is not.

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Report: Bills propose 60,000-seat stadium project by 2027

Report: #Bills propose 60,000-seat stadium project by 2027:

The topic of the Buffalo Bills and their stadium has taken a bit of backseat because of the transition of power in New York State’s government from Andrew Cuomo to now Gov. Kathy Houchel in recent weeks.

Now the Orchard Park building is back in the headlines as of Tuesday and we have some further details on a potential project size for the new venue. Per the AP, the Bills proposed a new stadium project which includes 60,000 seats and 60 suites.

Highmark Stadium currently has a seating capacity of 71,608 seats with 121 suites sorted into three different suite types, according to the team’s website.

This potential project has a construction completion date said to be in 2027 as well. Previously it was reported that the Bills hope to have “shovels in the ground” by next year, regarding a starting point.

Long reported was the Bills’ desire to build the new venue in Orchard Park close to the team’s current home. The team previously conducted a study into determining a location. It was also previously reported that such a project could cost around $1.4 billion.

The team, state, and Erie County, who currently own Highmark Stadium, are still working through cost-negotiations as we still do not have any solid answers on that. Originally reported was the team’s ownership of Terry and Kim Pegula requesting that taxpayers front the entire cost of a new stadium.

That has since been refuted multiple times and it’s expected that there will be some sort of split. The exact one has not been finalized which is mostly why talks are still ongoing.

The Bills’ home was last renovated in 2013 but the construction of a new stadium entirely has been a topic of discussion since the Pegulas purchased the team.

In addition, the Bills are tied to a lease to play at Highmark stadium until July 2023. If a project slated for conclusion in 2027 is approved, that lease will need to be extended.

Bills Wire will continue to follow the stadium topic as it unfolds. Check back for future updates.

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell believes Bills stadium deal will get done

Here’s what NFL commish Roger Goodell had to say about the #Bills stadium:

The figurehead of the NFL gave a nod of confidence regarding the Buffalo Bills and their ongoing stadium situation on Monday.

NFL commissioner Rogers Goodell, speaking from Jim Kelly’s annual celebrity golf tournament, discussed the recent headline-grabbing topic. Most of those have involved who is going to be paying how much for the potential new stadium.

Originally a report surfaced that Bills ownership, Terry and Kim Pegula, wanted the new venue to be fully-funded by taxpayer dollars. Since then, ensuing reports debated that but most acknowledge it will be some sort of split between the two sides.

While no final numbers or shovels getting into the ground appear close, Goodell is expressing confidence that the situation will be resolved and it’s his belief the Bills will be in Buffalo for the foreseeable future. Goodell called the team “very important” to the western New York community.

His thoughts via WKBW-TV:

The Jamestown, NY, native in Goodell also explained why an upgraded stadium is needed. He said such talks have even gone back multiple decades:

Bare minimum, Goodell certainly appears to be pro-stadium building in western New York, which comes as no surprise… but his confidence is a nice thing to note as well. Any talks of the Bills potentially moving at this time don’t seem to be holding much weight.

Bills Wire will continue to follow the stadium topic as it unfolds. Check back for future updates.

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Buffalo Bills update mask-wearing guidelines for 2021 at Highmark Stadium

#Bills update mask guidelines for 2021 at home games:

The Buffalo Bills are requiring fans to now wear masks at upcoming home games in 2021 at Highmark Stadium.

The team released a statement on Wednesday which indicated that masks were required in all “indoor” areas following recent increases in COVID-19 cases nationwide.

Those areas include concourses at the venue, so essentially everywhere except at seats it is required.

Here is the release from the team:

The Bills statement does not mention limiting seating capacity. As of now, one can expect a full crowd to still be on hand in 2021.

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Latest updates to Buffalo Bills stadium budget, timeline

Latest updates to #Bills stadium budget & timeline:

After numerous reports regarding the future of the Buffalo Bills’ stadium in Orchard Park, most of which came from outside of the team, a new one with insight from the club has emerged.

Via The Athletic, new updates have come about on Tuesday. The top headline from last week’s report included the idea of fully-funded taxpayer stadium, one with a construction budget of $1.1 billion.

The latest insists both of those are a bit off. The budget is actually at $1.4B and says Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula do not expect taxpayers to front the entire costs of construction.

In addition, a timeline for the building of a new stadium in Orchard Park is mentioned.

Senior writer at the The Athletic, Tim Graham, states:

Contrary to the much-repeated, published report, I have confirmed PSE’s budget for an Orchard Park stadium is $1.4 billion. The construction timeframe would be inside four years.

In addition, the report adds that the “hope is for shovels to be in the ground next year.”

If that timeline does hold true, the Bills and local government would have to look into extending the team’s lease to play at their current venue, Highmark Stadium. The current agreement runs until July 2023.

While refuted by The Athletic, previous reports suggested that the Bills could consider playing elsewhere during the stadium’s construction such as Toronto or Penn State.

No further details on how much taxpayers might need to front for the stadium’s constructions were mentioned in the update. However, it’s still very early in the negotiations between the team and local government regarding the stadium… so that makes sense.

Bills Wire will continue to follow the stadium topic as it unfolds. Check back for future updates.

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Report: Austin city council unaware of any possible Bills move currently

The city council in Austin, Texas, heard about the #Bills’ ‘potential move’ there at the same time you probably did:

Buffalo Bills fans were put through the ringer a bit on Sunday. At least now we’ve got a good update to provide.

First, the roundup: According to an initial report, the Bills proposed to local government that construction of their future stadium be fully funded by taxpayer money. Currently the team’s lease with Erie County for Highmark Stadium runs through 2023.

In making this proposal, the Bills had evidently made sure to note that other cities would love to have a NFL team.

While that is probably true in general, it seemed very unlikely that a move would happen, all things considered.

But then a specific city was  mentioned in a separate report later in the day. It was Austin, Texas.

Now for the latest: Not so fast.

According to a report in Austin via the Austin American-Statesman, that’s probably not very true as of now. Austin city council members are not aware of any such talks:

Austin FC is the soccer team in Major League Soccer currently playing their inaugural season. That does show Austin is potentially a future destination for further sports franchises.

However, even prior to this new report, many took the mention of the “Austin Bills” with a massive grain of salt. Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula are currently in very early negotiations in terms of finding funding for a new stadium.

From the ownership’s point of view, even if they had no intention of moving the team… they’re still going to have to play such a card to get maximum funding.

This latest update all but proves that’s pretty much all the report of “Austin” was… at least at this time.

Bills Wire will continue to follow the stadium topic as it unfolds. Check back for future updates.

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Report: Austin Bills? Texas city mentioned as ‘possible’ for team relocation

Certainly seems very unlikely but… Austin #Bills?

Hours after news dropped of the Buffalo Bills and the team’s ownership, Terry and Kim Pegula, searching for taxpayer money to help build their a new stadium, another bombshell was dropped.

In the initial report which indicated the Bills wanted taxpayers to front the entire cost of a new stadium, it was said that ownership made note to local government that other cities would pay big money to have a NFL team relocated to them.

Evidently one of them might be a city in Texas: Austin. Per ESPN‘s Seth Wickersham, the capital city of the Lone Star State is one location interested being a “possible destination” for the Bills if they were to move:

The quote from Wickersham comes from the initial report of the team wanting full taxpayer backing to build a new stadium.

It was said in that first report that, while there is no real desire by ownership to move the Bills, the idea that other places would love to have the Bills, was mentioned by the team in their proposal to local government.

Evidently one of the places the Pegulas are referring to is Austin, Texas.

As referenced via the ESPN report, and as Bills Wire made note of in our earlier coverage of the stadium’s potential funding, it appears the Pegulas are building up their side of the argument to get as much money as possible from New York State to help them build a new stadium.

Reports over the past few weeks have indicated that the team has decided to build a brand new stadium where the current one, Highmark Stadium, stands. That venue’s lease with the team for its usage currently tied down through 2023. Erie County owns the Orchard Park venue.

The negotiating for a new stadium has certainly now gone into a higher gear.

At this time the potential relocation of the Bills does seem very unlikely. These negotiations are very, very early on.

Bills Wire will continue to follow the stadium topic as it unfolds. Check back for future updates.

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Pegula Bills stadium proposal asks for project that is fully funded by public

Pegula #Bills stadium proposal asks for project that is fully funded by public:

The latest update involving the future home of the Buffalo Bills very much involves the issue’s financial side. Who’s going to pay for it?

Previously reported in recent weeks was the team’s desire to build a new stadium where the current one, Highmark Stadium, stands.

Prior to that, it was debated whether or not the Bills should do that, continue to renovate their current venue, or potentially build a new one in downtown Buffalo.

With the Orchard Park idea seemingly solidified via reports, paying for that project has now come into the spotlight. On Sunday, the Buffalo News shed light on that topic. Per the outlet, Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula have proposed that taxpayers pay for 100 percent of the project.

Per the BN:

Preliminary talks have begun between the owners of the Buffalo Bills, the State of New York and Erie County as officials consider a pitch by the team to build a new NFL stadium.

In fact, it’s one of the largest asks for public money in pro sports stadium negotiations: Pegula Sports and Entertainment, the team’s owners, have pitched a $1.5 billion proposal for a new stadium in Orchard Park.

Overall, that $1.5B figure will be split. $1.1B will go to the Bills and the construction of their new stadium in Orchard Park. The rest would go to the Buffalo Sabres, the professional hockey team in the NHL also owned by the Pegulas.

Their stadium, KeyBank Center in Buffalo, would see renovations as well.

The report goes on to say that the state is currently not on board with having taxpayers fund the entire project. That is not shocking in the least bit.

That’s because the BN also notes that most stadiums are not so heavily taxpayer funded… with that number usually falling somewhere between 40 and 70 percent taxpayer funded.

Considering that, the Pegulas know the reality of the situation: That’s not going to happen. We’re seeing some early negotiations and such conversations are probably not anywhere near their conclusion.

Bills Wire will continue to follow the stadium topic as it unfolds. Check back for future updates.

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Latest updates to Bills stadium situation

Buffalo Bills stadium reported updates.

The Bills situation regarding their home currently called Highmark Stadium has several updates to follow.

According to multiple reports on Friday, the Bills are looking into building a new stadium as opposed to upgrading their current venue, which is what the club has done for the past several years. Highmark Stadium, owned by Erie County, currently is tied to the team via lease through 2023.

According to Venues Now, the Bills are consulting with Legends Global Planning in regard to their new stadium plans. The same company helped with the construction of AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

Previously, Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula brought in two firms, CAA Icon and Populous, to conduct feasibility studies on building a new stadium in certain locations. Downtown Buffalo was likely considered, but per 13WHAM-TV in a follow-up report, the location is looking more likely to be in Orchard Park.

If that is the case, the team would most likely build their new venue in the same location as the old one. In doing so, the Bills may need a new temporary home, and locations reportedly being considered are Toronto and Penn State.

The potential Orchard Park stadium was also said to be an “open-air stadium.”

The cost of a new stadium would likely surpass a billion dollars. SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, one of the newest venues in the NFL, cost $5 billion. It is unknown if taxpayer money would be involved in the financing of the new venue.

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‘Highmark Stadium’ is new name of Bills Stadium

Buffalo Bills Stadium named Highmark Stadium.

It’s a new era in Orchard Park.

The Bills announced on Monday that “Highmark Stadium” would be the new name of the home of the Bills in Orchard Park. The full name is Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Stadium: 

Most recently New Era cap company held the stadium naming right for the venue, which is owned by Erie County and leased to the team, from 2016-2019. In 2020, the team just called their home “Bills Stadium.”

In July 2020 following New Era removing jobs in Buffalo, western New Yorkers including government officials were none too pleased with the company’s decision to do so. Naturally COVID-19 played a part, but a “mutual agreement” to remove their name from the stadium was agreed upon.

According to Sports Business Journal, the agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York for the naming right is a 10-year deal.

Prior to New Era Field, the stadium which was built in 1973 and holds 71,621 fans was named Ralph Wilson Stadium and Rich Stadium.

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