ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — We get our first look at how the new Buffalo Bills stadium complex might actually line up in Orchard Park.
Some of the site plans were released Friday afternoon. They show a bird's-eye view of what the new stadium and surrounding area could look like.
These plans are part of the required SEQR process, which can now begin. It is basically an environmental review under state law of the planning for the new $1.4 billion Bills stadium.
These plans do not include what the new Bills stadium will look like.
Erie County, the current stadium landlord, has to lead this work until the land and stadium complex are eventually turned over to a new state agency, which will in turn lease it back to the Bills organization owned by the Pegulas.
County officials tell 2 On Your Side they have received new site plans from the Bills and their stadium design team and consultants, primarily the Populous teams out of Kansas City, for the configuration of the stadium.
As was expected. it basically sits across Abbott Road from the existing stadium, and will be built on the site of the existing Erie Community College Kats Stadium. They will utilize the athletic fields from the current ECC South Campus.
They also released what is called a "massing plan" to give a 3-D image look to help envision how the new 62,000 seat stadium will look on that site with a pedestrian mall leading to the stadium.
Some have pointed out, it almost looks a runway at an airport in this design.
There will be a new operations building south of the stadium, but the current fieldhouse and team administrative offices will remain where they are on the other side of the road.
Once the new stadium is built, and open by 2026, the old stadium will be torn down for parking space.
Details such as parking and even NFTA bus access and any other points can be addressed by the public in what's called a scoping session for comments set for Thursday, July 14 at the Bills AdPro Fieldhouse at 4:30 p.m.
There will be another public hearing in the fall even as planning for the actual stadium design will continue.