Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas won’t get to play a snap in the team’s new stadium, but he’s had a hand in helping to build it.
His construction company, 34 Group, is in its third year of being on-site of the more than $2 billion project in Orchard Park to assist in general contracting efforts and doing some of the work on the interior of the building, set to open for the 2026 NFL season.
Thurman Thomas Stadium
Bills Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas stands inside the new Buffalo Bills stadium in Orchard Park. His company, 34 Group, is assisting general contracting efforts and working on the building’s interior. Contributed image
Working on the new stadium has been a huge undertaking for the 10-year-old company started by the former NFL MVP and his wife, Patti. But it’s also been a chance to learn a great deal on behalf of the minority-owned firm, which also does work in telecommunications and engineering.
Thomas has worked closely with the project’s general contractor Gilbane Turner to learn the ins and outs of working on a project of this size and he’s hired several additional employees to help handle this job and others the company has going on at the same time.
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“I’m still a little disappointed I won’t be able to play in the new stadium,” Thomas said with a laugh. “It’s bittersweet, but I am enjoying that I still have an opportunity to play a part in the stadium going up.”
Being a part of Western New York’s largest construction project is a process that started more than a year prior to the stadium’s groundbreaking in June 2023.
34 Group responded to a request for proposals and then made a presentation to the Bills and their consultant on much of the new stadium work, Legends, as well as team owner Terry Pegula.
“With this size of the project, it took some effort and time from our team to really buckle down, because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Thomas had said at the beginning of the project.
These days, Thomas is at the site at least once a week, with his company being involved in different parts of the project.
34 Group is helping to install the nearly 60,000 seats around the stadium. Workers from the company are also doing interior work such as drywall and painting.
Since the project started nearly two years ago, Thomas has needed to hire about five new workers so that the company would be covered for what it needs at the stadium, as well as other construction jobs 34 Group is committed to in the area.
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Buffalo Bills great Thurman Thomas discusses his work on the new stadium construction as the owner of construction company 34 Group. Mike Petro/Buffalo News
“If we didn’t think we could handle this, we wouldn’t be on the job,” Thomas said.
Working with Gilbane Building Co., a Rhode Island-based contractor, and New York City-based Turner Construction has been eye-opening, Thomas said. His team is always listening closely in meetings to see how Gilbane Turner handles the process and runs a tight ship to keep the stadium project on time, he said.
Gilbane and Turner have partnered on 16 stadium projects, including new and renovated facilities. They also have been involved in other major projects, including construction of a spring training facility in Florida for the Toronto Blue Jays.
“These companies have been doing this for generations,” Thomas said. “We’ve been in meetings where we hear something new and think to ourselves, ‘we can implement that strategy into our plan in Buffalo.’ Whatever we’re learning from them, it helps us a lot.”
There are now around 1,400 workers on-site doing a wide variety of jobs inside and outside of the buildings. They have worked in all kinds of difficult conditions and weather elements and put in well over 2 million hours on the job as stadium construction rapidly progresses.
“It’s people putting this together, using connection points, using their talent and energy,” said Frank Cravotta, senior vice president of creative and stadium design for the Bills.
“Sometimes you forget that each bolt is someone putting their hand on it or their hand on the glass that goes up − right down to when we really start to finish this out with tiles and light fixtures,” he added. “And you can tell the pride that they take in it. It’s a work of art.”
Thurman Thomas
Buffalo Bills Hall-of-Fame running back Thurman Thomas has been working on the new stadium project for more than two years as the owner of construction company 34 Group. Buffalo News file photo
Thomas said he realizes how life-changing this work can be for local companies and individuals, and how it can set them up for future work on larger projects.
Representation from regional companies and disadvantaged businesses also has been integral to the project, Thomas said.
Just as important are the efforts being made to create the next generation of tradespeople and build a more robust workforce in the trades to do this important work.
“If you want to be an electrician, a plumber, work in HVAC, go do it,” Thomas said. “Those are great-paying jobs, and you can build a company in Buffalo and all of a sudden you’re doing three blocks of people’s houses.”
Now it’s time to get through the final grind of the project, which is less than a year from completion.
“Everybody is out here busting their butt and work is going on seven days a week with double shifts,” said Steve Ranalli, president of the state-entity Erie County Stadium Corp., which is overseeing the project.
“I know it’s great to work on the stadium, but there comes a point when the honeymoon phase is over and people just get tired,” he added. “It’s a lot of repetitive work. The men and women out there every day are the ones who are going to get this thing done and now it’s really about keeping their morale going.”
Thomas said it’s vital to engage with his workers, setting up lunches and off-site meetings to discuss how they can grow together.
“Those are the things that you have to do to let them know that we’re glad that they’re with us,” Thomas said. “Whether you’re on a big construction site like the new stadium or on a small one, you have to have a very good relationship with your workers.”
Even as he helps build the stadium, Thomas intends to cherish every moment left in the team’s current venue. He expects there will be more Bills alumni at games this season at Highmark Stadium than ever before, and Thomas plans to enjoy his time with them as they watch the season play out.
“I’m going to be there every single home game and go down to the sideline and see all the guys,” Thomas said. “I’m going to savor every moment of it. You’re talking about what could be a flood of crying, leaving that stadium with all those memories for the last time.”
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