ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — On Wednesday, the Buffalo Bills released photos of the turf going in at the new Highmark Stadium.
The Bills announced in April that the grading and utility infrastructure for the playing field had begun and they were targeting installation of the natural grass turf in the fall.
Watch the video below to get an inside look at the installation process.
In addition, below you can watch project leaders describe some of the technology that the playing field will be equipped with.
Crews broke ground on the new Highmark Stadium in June 2023. Construction is expected to be completed by July 2026.
The original estimated cost of the new stadium was $1.4 billion, but in March, Buffalo Bills Chief Operating Officer Pete Guelli confirmed to 7 News that the cost was "North of $2.1 billion." He cited rising costs of labor, materials, and construction projects in general, especially dating back to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Who's covering the rising costs? Those will be paid by Bills owner Terry Pegula. The county will pay $250 million, New York State will provide $600 million, and the Bills will cover the remainder.
We got an inside look at the construction of the stadium during the summer. Significant progress has been made since, but you can watch our inside look below.
Earlier this week, the Bills and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority released plans for a new Transportation Hub that could transform how fans get to games when the team moves into the new stadium. You can watch our report below and read more here.
Physical demolition of the current stadium is expected next summer, with completion targeted for the second quarter of 2027. The entire process and preparation work will take approximately one year to complete. You can watch our report below and read more here.
