Construction of the Buffalo Bills’ new Highmark Stadium has surpassed its minority- and women-owned business participation goals, with more than $490 million now disbursed to MWBE firms as the project nears completion.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday that the stadium project exceeded its 30% MWBE participation target at the end of April, marking what the state described as the largest level of MWBE participation ever achieved on a public-private partnership project in Western New York.
State officials said nearly 140 MWBE firms have received 304 separate contracts tied to the stadium’s construction, including 83 businesses from Western New York that have collectively secured more than $250 million in work.
The new 60,000-seat stadium is now approximately 96% complete and entering its final construction phase, according to the governor’s office. At peak construction, officials said roughly 1,600 workers were on site daily, contributing more than 4.5 million craft-hours to the project.
“Local minority-and women-owned businesses have been the backbone of this project,” Hochul said in a statement Tuesday. “This unprecedented participation by MWBE firms isn’t just about building a stadium; it’s about building generational wealth and setting a gold standard for inclusive public-private partnerships across New York State.”
The stadium, designed by Populous, will feature a 360-degree canopy covering much of the seating area, heated concourses, two large video boards, advanced snow-melt technology, and expanded accessibility accommodations. Officials said final technology testing and signage installation are now underway.
Project leaders also said MWBE participation is expected to continue after construction through the stadium’s operations and maintenance agreements. Under the project’s community benefits agreement, the Bills committed to maintaining a 30% MWBE participation goal for retailers, vendors, and service providers associated with the facility.
Empire State Development said project partners hosted contractor coaching programs, technical training sessions, networking events, and certification workshops throughout construction to help smaller firms compete for stadium-related contracts.
Buffalo Bills Vice President of Stadium Relations Penny Semaia said the participation milestone reflects years of coordinated outreach and collaboration among the team, contractors, and state agencies.
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