The "old" Highmark Stadium is known for snowfalls that turn the stands to white during the winter, but the new Buffalo Bills venue will make a name for itself with a unique solution to avoid similar scenes in the future.

A special roof to melt snow

Residents of the city of Buffalo, located on Lake Erie, are not intimidated by snowfalls as high as 2.34 meters per year. No one was therefore surprised to see them shoveling snow from the aisles of Highmark Stadium’s stands in early December for $20 an hour and warm drinks and food, or by the sight of the same stands covered in snow already during the game. But in less than two years the sight will be history.

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Buffalo Bills' new stadium, New Highmark Stadium, is set to open in 2026 and expected to have the world's largest snowmelt system, according to senior operation manager Joe Byrne.

The roof, which will cover 60% of the seats, will have a concave shape that will allow snow to collect, and special sensors will activate an elaborate system to melt it when safe weight limits are exceeded. The turf will also be heated, helping to reduce snow accumulation at the stadium.

Built for Buffalo

The new Buffalo Bills stadium will have a smaller capacity than its predecessor - 62,000 versus 71,608 seats - and will cost $1.7 billion, half a billion more than, for example, the complete rebuilds of the Bernabeu or Camp Nou. The facility is being built just a few dozen meters from the old Highmark Stadium, on the other side of Abbott Road.

Less than two years ahead of the scheduled inauguration, much of the stands are ready, and installation of the canopy began in the fall. Although New Highmark Stadium will be one of the smallest in the NFL, it is expected to attract year-round residents thanks to its commercial offerings. This stadium is built for Buffalo, promises Pete Gueli, COO of the club.

Thanks to its concave shape, New Highmark Stadium's roof will collect and melt excess snow, which is also a common sight at the construction site / © Buffalo Stadium Live