Sports Venues
Gilbane-Turner Issues More RFPs for $1.5B Buffalo Bills Stadium Contractors
A team led by a Gilbane-Turner joint venture is building a new Highmark Stadium for the NFL's Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Rendering courtesy of Populous
The Gilbane-Turner joint venture leading a $1.54-billion project to build a new stadium for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y., is seeking proposals for various pieces of the job.
The prime contractor released two more groups of proposal packages June 16. The first group of RFPs covers work including HVAC, electrical, plumbing and fire protection. The second includes items such as drywall, seating, masonry and the playing field itself.
Any contractors interested in submitting proposals for the work can apply to meet with the primes via the project website.
Carl Stewart, vice president and general manager at Turner Construction Co., said in a statement earlier this month that the project team is “committed to providing opportunities for members of the Buffalo community to participate in the construction of this stadium.”
The project team for the 1.35-million-sq-ft, 63,000-capacity stadium also includes local contractors 34 Group and Arc Building Partners, project manager Legends Development Group, designer Populous and engineer Walter P Moore, plus other trade partners.
In March, Gilbane-Turner had released groups of bid packages for work on the exterior, foundations and structural steel. More than 600 people have attended contractor information sessions, according to Gilbane-Turner.
The new solicitation comes after the Erie County Legislature approved a funding agreement in May that marked the final check needed for the project to receive $850 million in public funding.
Construction started with a formal groundbreaking earlier this month. John LaRow, senior vice president at Gilbane Building Co., said in a statement after the groundbreaking that the project would “raise the bar on stadium construction.”
The stadium is under construction on a 242-acre site across the street from the Bills’ current Highmark Stadium. It has an open-air design with a canopy that would provide cover for about 65% of seats. In addition to the new stadium, the project includes construction of an auxiliary building and demolition of the current stadium.
The new stadium, which will also be named Highmark under a deal with Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, is scheduled to open in time for the 2026 NFL season.
