The Buffalo Bills have suffered yet another setback in the construction of their new stadium after graffiti was discovered inside the unfinished venue that's set to cost $2.1 billion
15:11 ET, 18 Feb 2026Updated 15:11 ET, 18 Feb 2026
Construction site of the new Highmark Stadium
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The Bills have suffered a new setback in their construction of the new Highmark Stadium(Image: Getty Images)
Construction on the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium momentarily ground to a halt after graffiti was found at multiple sites inside the unfinished venue.
The Bills have encountered no shortage of obstacles during the construction of the state-of-the-art Highmark Stadium, which is slated to cost $2.1 billion. During Week 15 of the 2025 NFL campaign, the development project caught on fire while Buffalo faced off against the Patriots in New England.
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In the latest hiccup, Gilbane Building and Turner Construction — one of the lead general contractors overseeing the construction — announced that work had been suspended due to graffiti and other minor vandalism being discovered on Monday.
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"Graffiti was found in both finished and unfinished areas of the stadium project site," Gilbane said in an official statement obtained by WBEN.
"We suspended work and launched a full investigation in partnership with trade contractors and unions to send a clear message about how seriously we take this matter. Gilbane | Turner maintains zero tolerance for graffiti, vandalism or defacement of property on our project.
"This behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect the standards we expect on this project."
Back in December, Gilbane narrowly avoided suffering another setback once smoke was seen billowing out of Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. Fortunately for all parties involved, the small fire was swiftly extinguished and caused no significant damage or injuries.
View of Highmark Stadium
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The new Highmark Stadium is slated to be completed in time for the 2026 NFL season(Image: Getty Images)
“Sparks from grinding related to welding caused a minor fire outside the new stadium building,” a spokesperson from Gilbane explained.
“It was quickly extinguished and resulted in no injuries or any significant damages.”
Even before the pair of aforementioned incidents transpired, the Bills new stadium project fell slightly behind schedule due to the unfavorable weather conditions in Buffalo last Winter. According to The Buffalo News, an analysis of the stadium schedule released last August uncovered that the construction was nearly 12% behind.
Bills president of business operations Pete Guelli, however, expressed utmost confidence that the stadium will be ready in time for the 2026 NFL season. “If there’s anything we need to pick up, we will throw the resources at it to make it happen,” he declared.
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“I have no concerns about that building opening on time. If there’s anything that happens that needs to be addressed, we’ll address it.”
Construction crews working around the clock for seven days a week have managed to finish most of the exterior work on the venue, with strong progress additionally being made on the locker rooms, training rooms and player amenity areas inside.
“I have to be honest; I haven’t been there in a few weeks. It’s been a little chilly,” Guelli said “It really looks like a stadium now. We’re in a great place.”
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In preparation for the 2026 campaign, equipment managers have already begun moving items from the Bills’ old stadium to their new one. “That’s how far along it is right now,” Guelli explained.