Orchard Park residents get first look inside new Highmark Stadium

By Liam Tremblay — 12 August 2026 — 3 min read

New stadium opens for practice

Orchard Park, N.Y. – The new Highmark Stadium, home to the Buffalo Bills, recently opened its doors to the public for the first time during the Blue & Red practice. This event allowed fans to experience the new facility, which reportedly cost an estimated $2.2 billion to construct. The stadium is situated on a 242-acre campus and features 60,108 seats.

The practice served as an opportunity for the team to test the new stadium’s operations. The Bills organization expressed gratitude to their fanbase, known as Bills Mafia, for setting a new attendance record with over 50,000 fans at the event. The team plans to use the coming weeks to refine details in preparation for the home opener on Thursday, September 17.

Fan feedback and team response

Following the public unveiling, some fans raised concerns regarding obstructed views from certain seats. Images circulating on social media showed sight lines blocked by railings, cable wires, and stair landings. Some patrons also compared their actual views to virtual images provided during the personal seat license sales process.

In response to these concerns, Bills president of business operations, Pete Guelli, stated that the team had heard from less than one percent of their Personal Seat License (PSL) holders about sight line issues. He affirmed that the virtual venue representations were considered accurate and that the team would address individual concerns on a case-by-case basis. John Polka, Bills vice president of stadium development, and Andy Major, senior vice president of venue operations and fan experience, also addressed the feedback.

The team clarified that some seats identified in viral photos as having obstructed views were not sold for football games and would not be. These seats are intended for other events, such as concerts. Polka emphasized that seats with truly obstructed views were not sold as PSLs or for any football games. The organization also noted that a “wait-for-the-whistle” policy would be implemented during games to manage fan and vendor movement, which was a point of concern during the practice.

Operational adjustments and future plans

Beyond sight lines, other feedback from the practice included comments on the size of the video scoreboards, stadium audio, and sections of fans getting wet during a downpour despite marketing materials suggesting nearly 65 percent of seats would be covered. Polka indicated that the team is learning about the building’s game presentation aspects, including how scoreboards will be utilized and the role of a nine-foot ribbon board.

Regarding audio, Polka explained that speakers used on the field during practice to simulate crowd noise would not be present during games. Traffic management for entering and leaving the stadium was another point of concern, which the team acknowledged would require time for fans and law enforcement to adapt to new parking lots and traffic patterns. Guelli mentioned a punch list of approximately 27,000 items that need to be addressed or completed, with work expected to continue throughout the season.

The Bills are preparing for their home opener on Thursday, September 17.

Source: bleacherreport.com