The Buffalo Bills have made 53 years of memories at what was once known as Rich Stadium. Next season, the door will open for the new Highmark Stadium to host a new chapter.
The new stadium recently received attention after a pair of vandalism incidents, the second causing damage worth a $100,000 reward, but its timelines weren't altered.
As for the old stadium, demolition won't come immediately. It will remain standing for the foreseeable future as a reminder of the franchise's past as the Bills transition to a new era, according to a recent report.
When will the old Highmark Stadium be demolished?
Josh Allen
Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the last to take the field during team introductions, raises his arms as the crowd cheers for him before their game against the Jets at home in Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 4, 2026. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Rob Banks of Country 106.5 WYRK reported on Sunday that the old venue will not be demolished for a while.
"It will not happen for a little bit. They are going to demolish it in the spring of 2027 and have mentioned a target of March 2027," Banks wrote.
Banks also reported rumors that the symbolic passing of the torch won't take place with a football game, but rather a concert. Owner Terry Pegula and his wife, Kim, own a Nashville-based record label called Black River Entertainment, so it's not too far-fetched to think a concert could be in play.
What will replace the stadium?
Highmark Stadium
Fans enter Highmark Stadium before the start of the Bills' home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov 16, 2025 in Orchard Park. In the background is the new stadium. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
When the old stadium is eventually destroyed, the site will be converted into a convenient accommodation for Bills fans.
"Though not the case for the music video, more parking will become available for Buffalo Bills fans when they demo the stadium and it becomes a parking lot," Brooks wrote. "It will get a lot of Buffalo Bills fans parking closer than they are right now over in Orchard Park, New York."
As the Bills prepare to move into their new home, they'll begin a new legacy while their longtime stadium watches over the new one's beginning.