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The Buffalo Bills, New York State and Erie County have announced that all documents and contracts for the NFL team’s new stadium project have been signed and submitted to the Erie County Legislature.
In a joint statement, the three parties said the move marks another “significant step” ahead of a planned groundbreaking ceremony for the stadium later in the spring.
Erie County Legislature will now carry out a 30-day review of the documents to determine whether any ratifications need to be made to the stadium, which will have a capacity of 60,000.
According to the Associated Press news agency, the budget for the stadium, which is scheduled for completion in 2026, has increased from $1.4bn (£1.1bn/€1.3bn) to more than $1.5bn. The New York Post has reported that the difference will be covered by the team.
In March 2022, the Bills reached an agreement with New York State and Erie County to build the stadium in Orchard Park as New York Governor Kathy Hochul secured a 30-year commitment for the team to remain in Buffalo.
Under the agreement, New York State would commit $600m towards the project, with Erie County to provide $250m. The NFL and the Bills would provide the remaining $550m.
Last month, the plans cleared another hurdle after the directors of the Erie County Stadium Corporation voted to lease land for the Bills to build the facility. It was reported that “light work” on the stadium could begin as early as April, with “big digging” slated to start in June.
The Bills have released three sets of renderings for the stadium, with the latest images showing how the team brand and fan culture could be represented at the venue.
The Bills currently play at the 71,000-capacity Highmark Stadium, which opened in 1973. Following the opening of the new facility, Highmark Stadium is expected to be demolished and redeveloped as a large parking lot.
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