BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County issued a temporary certificate of occupancy for the new Highmark Stadium today, clearing the way for the Buffalo Bills to begin moving in.
Members of the football staff and operations team can now begin familiarizing themselves with the building and concessions crews can also begin setting up food and beverage areas inside the building.
The new stadium has also received a certificate of substantial completion today, from project architect Populous, which means that the building is considered safe for public use and emergency systems are ready if needed.
Still, work is ongoing in several areas, including in the concourses and seating bowl. Suite and premium areas are still under active construction.
Bills President of Business Operations, Pete Guelli, released a statement on the milestone.
"Thank you to Populous, Legends Project Development, Gilbane-Turner, the thousands of workers, plus our internal staff who have contributed to the design and construction of our incredible new home. We'd also like to express our continued gratitude to Mark Poloncarz and his team from Erie County, specifically Bill Geary, Kris Straus and Shawn Griffin for their dedication and teamwork leading the code review efforts. Receiving the Temporary Certificate of Occupancy from Erie County allows us to move into the next phase of preparation for the 2026 NFL season," Guelli said.
The Bills tell 7 News that the project is now 96% complete.
The first major event inside the facility is the return of the Blue and Red Practice, set for Aug. 8.
