The Buffalo Bills grabbed headlines ahead of Sunday’s wild card game against the Denver Broncos when it released renderings of its new stadium set to open in 2026.
New Highmark Stadium, which will replace their current home Highmark Stadium, is both impressive and controversial.
Inside the New Stadium — and Who’s Behind It
Buffalo is known for receiving massive amounts of snow — due to a phenomenon called lake effect snow.
Surprisingly, the new stadium will have no dome. Instead, it will be an open-air venue with a canopy designed to offer partial protection for fans from the elements.
Like other modern stadiums, the new venue prioritizes clear sightlines throughout, including in communal areas where fans can wine and dine — and spend money on concessions.
Naturally, the concourse areas will be heated — after all, this is Buffalo.
Seating at New Highmark Stadium features a stacked design that brings fans, including those in the upper decks, closer to the action.
Populous, the architectural firm behind the new stadium, also designed the groundbreaking Sphere arena in Las Vegas and the Venetian Arena in Macau, which is set to host NBA preseason games in 2025.
What the Controversy Is All About
The new Bills stadium is controversial because of public subsidies.
Of the total $1.4 billion cost, $850 million will come from taxpayers — $600 million from New York state and $250 million from Erie County, where Buffalo is located.
Now, the Bills may be closer to Canada than they are to New York City, but they are not only New York’s best NFL team — they’re also the only one that actually plays its games in the state.
The consensus among economists is that the costs of public funding for stadiums are rarely justified by the benefits they provide.
Taxpayers too are skeptical. Sixty-three percent of New Yorkers opposed the subsidy for the stadium, according to a poll by Siena College in 2022.
City Mouse, Country Mouse
New York itself is a tale of two states: the more populous and prosperous downstate region with New York City and its suburbs; and upstate areas, which make up most of the state’s territory but generate a comparatively smaller amount of its economic activity and revenue.
Downstate New York effectively subsidizes upstate New York. Over the decades, billions of dollars in public funding have gone into Buffalo to revitalize its economy. It’s been successful to some degree — with Buffalo emerging as a hot real estate market due to a combination of lower cost of living and a strong jobs market.
Conflict of Interest?
The new Bills stadium is also controversial for one more reason: there have also been claims that New York Governor Kathy Hochul has a conflict of interest in the new stadium plans.
Her husband, William Hochul, serves as senior vice president and general counsel for Delaware North, a company that operates the concessions at the Bills’ current home, Highmark Stadium.
However, Delaware North has yet to secure a future vending contract at the stadium, though it has had a longstanding relationship with the Bills.
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