Governor Hochul Announces Bills Highmark Stadium Construction Surpasses MWBE Participation Goal With Over $490 Million Disbursed to MWBEs

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a historic economic milestone for the new Buffalo Bills Highmark Stadium, where over $490 million has been paid to Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE). Consistent with Governor Hochul's nation-leading utilization goals, the project surpassed its 30 percent MWBE participation target at the end of April and will continue to grow as the project proceeds. This represents the largest MWBE participation for any public-private partnership project in the history of Western New York. As the state-of-the-art facility enters its final construction phase - currently 96 percent complete - the project has also generated significant opportunities for local firms, awarding more than $250 million in contracts to Western New York regional MWBE businesses to date.

"Local minority-and women-owned businesses have been the backbone of this project, ensuring the magnificent new Highmark Stadium rises to meet the coming Bills season," Governor Hochul said. "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."

Buffalo Bills Vice President of Stadium Relations Penny Semaia said, "From the beginning of construction, we recognized the effort it would take to reach our goals. Through teamwork and intentional efforts, we are pleased that we not only met our goals but exceeded them. This is a great example of our commitment to our community and the greater WNY Region."

To date, nearly 140 MWBE firms have been awarded 304 contracts for the stadium's development, with 83 of those businesses based in the Western New York region receiving 216 contracts. Empire State Development (ESD) continues to collaborate with the Buffalo Bills, Legends, Erie County and the Gilbane-Turner construction team to ensure local and diverse firms are represented in every phase of the project. The commitment to creating opportunities for MWBEs and local businesses will continue beyond construction - under the project's Community Benefits Agreement, the Bills are also committed to a 30 percent MWBE goal for retailers, vendors and service companies used in stadium maintenance and operations.

The latest MWBE and local business participation milestones were celebrated today at the new stadium, which includes cutting-edge technology, inspiring art and an array of amenities designed to enhance the customer experience - making it a world-class entertainment venue that will boost the economy of Western New York for decades to come. The 60,000-seat stadium, designed by Populous, is entering tech system testing and final signage installation. At the peak of construction, 1,600 workers were on-site daily, contributing over 4.5 million craft-hours to create a world-class venue featuring:

• A 360-degree canopy covering 65 percent of the seats
• Heated concourse and seating in several areas
• World's largest snow melt system, utilizing roof sensors to monitor and liquify snow piles
• Two state-of-the-art video boards and an acoustic system to maximize patron's audio and visual experience
• Upper deck with views of the City of Buffalo, Lake Erie and the Boston Hills
• Inviting welcome plaza highlighted by a sculpture of a family of American Bison
• Mix of concessions, kitchens and retail stores
• Accessibility for people with disabilities

To increase MWBE participation at the stadium construction site, the Bills and other project partners hosted a variety of capacity-building and technical training programs that prepared firms to be successful in navigating what can at times be complex stadium-related procurements. These programs include contractor coaching programs that train firms to apply for contracts and construction mentoring programs that recruit, train and mentor MWBE firms to bid on large public construction projects, and project readiness bootcamps. The team has also sponsored seminars, webinars and forums to help firms become MWBE certified, meet and network with prime contractors and build the skill sets needed to be successful in the field.

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Governor Hochul's vision for inclusion of minority and local firms in state projects is now a tangible economic reality for the hundreds of MWBEs and local firms building the new Highmark Stadium. By prioritizing MWBE participation and supporting local businesses, we're strengthening our economy and enriching our communities, creating a more inclusive and prosperous future for all. Go Bills!"

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, "The new Highmark Stadium is a testament to the power of inclusive economic development for New York's workforce. Thanks to Governor Hochul's vision, minority and women-owned businesses are serving as the foundation for this incredible achievement, ensuring we are not just building a world-class stadium, but strengthening our economy and securing a more prosperous future for all New York workers."

New York State Chief Diversity Officer Julissa Gutierrez said, "This historic milestone proves that when we open doors to diverse businesses, our entire economy wins. By exceeding our participation goals and investing over $490 million into MWBEs, New York is creating tangible wealth and setting a powerful example of what true financial equity looks like in massive public-private partnerships."

State Senator James Sanders Jr. said, "This milestone is more than a construction achievement - it is a victory for economic justice. When over $490 million in contracts go to Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises, we are not just building a stadium, we are building generational wealth, strengthening families, and expanding opportunity across New York State. Governor Hochul's commitment to MWBE inclusion has set a new standard, and the success at Highmark Stadium proves what is possible when we invest intentionally in diverse businesses. These firms didn't just participate - they led, they delivered, and they helped shape the largest public-private project of its kind in Western New York history. Let this be the blueprint for every major project moving forward. When we open doors for MWBEs, our entire state rises."

Assemblymember Patrick Burke said, "Western New York workers, labor unions and businesses built this stadium, and their work will remain part of the foundation for generations to come. Governor Hochul understood from day one that this project needed to create opportunity for the entire community and that commitment is delivering real results."

Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn said, "I profoundly applaud Governor Kathy Hochul for her visionary leadership in delivering this historic economic milestone for New York. Surpassing our ambitious utilization targets with nearly half a billion dollars paid to diverse firms is a beautiful testament to the local minority- and women-owned businesses that helped bring the new Highmark Stadium to life. As Chair of the Assembly's MWBE Oversight Subcommittee, I know that matching strict state mandates with real-world compliance takes unwavering executive commitment from the top. Governor Hochul didn't just build a world-class stadium; she built an inclusive model for economic justice that ensures our local firms rise together and create lasting generational wealth."

Turner Senior Vice President Fuquan Collins said, "From the beginning, our commitment was to make this project inclusive, accessible, and opportunity-driven, and we were proud to deliver on that commitment. Through early outreach, reasonably structured scopes of work, and sustained collaboration with local, MWBE, and SDVOB firms, community-based organizations, residents and elected officials, we created pathways to participation that resulted in meaningful contracts, career opportunities, apprenticeship experiences, and lasting economic impact across Western New York. We're proud that construction of the stadium strengthened local businesses, supported careers, and created long-term community benefit."

Gilbane-Turner/Gilbane Building Principal-in-Charge and Senior Vice President John LaRowsaid, "We're proud that the impact of this stadium extends far beyond the field, creating opportunities for local and diverse businesses and supporting careers across Western New York. Surpassing this MWBE participation goal reflects the focused outreach and partnership that helped make this project a source of long-term community impact. We're grateful for the support of the Hochul administration and the State of New York in advancing these efforts and helping expand opportunities for MWBE firms across the region."

For more information on the project and upcoming opportunities, visit the New Highmark Stadium official site.

About Empire State Development

Empire State Development (ESD) is New York's chief economic development agency. The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing the Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of "I LOVE NY" the State's iconic tourism brand. Find more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development.