It has been two months since the deadline by which the Buffalo Bills stadium deal was to be finalised. Despite the delay, it looks like construction of the venue will begin as planned.

After the first images were presented, fans of one of favourites to win the Super Bowl were struck by the three buffaloes. They will greet fans in the plaza in front of the facility, construction of which is expected to begin next year. The Buffalo Bills club's current home is Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Stadium, which has served the team for nearly 50 years.

Buffalo Bills Stadium will be located opposite the current facility, known to fans as 'The Ralph' - a tribute to former owner Ralph Wilson. The arena will therefore be situated on Abbott Road in Orchard Park, a city southeast of Buffalo. This is not the first time the players have moved to a different venue, but this time the club's authorities have announced a unique change.

© Buffalo Bills / Populous

The new arena will occupy a 57-acre site owned by SUNY Erie Community College, which previously housed the college's athletic fields. Other locations, such as downtown Buffalo, were also considered. Placing the complex closer to the city centre, however, would require relocating residents. The scheme involves the demolition of the current Bills home field, which would be replaced by a car park serving the new stadium.

Specialists at Populous have created preliminary visualisations of the arena, which is intended to express Buffalo's historic architecture. The creators of the project place great emphasis on referencing the richness of the city's landmark buildings, placing a lot of stone elements. The Bills are showing the new stadium in a snowy setting, in which the bowl-shaped facility sparkles in the cold light. The facade is covered with large glass panels and decorations.

The scenery used in the rendering is no coincidence - this region of the United States is known for its extremely cold winters. Despite this, the facility will have an open roof, similar to its predecessor. To compensate for the lack of cover over the turf, radiant heating will be installed throughout the stadium. In addition, the rows of seats are stacked so that most fans will be sheltered from the rain. Interestingly, this seating arrangement will also dampen the noise coming from the stands at pitch level.

© Buffalo Bills / Populous

The proposed facility will hold fewer spectators than Highmark Stadium as the stands will be able to seat 62,000 fans. Despite this, the Bills are aiming to maximise the spectator experience and make the most of their energy. The goal is to bring fans closer to the game on the field than ever before in the NFL. Fans have been promised the most vibrant, loudest, earth-shaking experience possible.

The company Legends will be involved in designing the new facility, coordinating contracts and naming the stadium as well as its various venues. It is also to manage the project, sales and marketing. The entire project is estimated to cost $1.4 billion. The Buffalo Bills ownership group has also selected the companies responsible for the construction progress. These are Gilbane Building Company and Turner Construction Company, in partnership with 34 Group. The first two enterprises have already jointly built or renovated 16 NFL arenas. The club's management anticipates that the first game in the new stadium will take place in the autumn of 2026.