Populous architect defends stairway design at Bills' Highmark Stadium amid sightline complaints

Buffalo's new Highmark Stadium, which opened on Saturday with a construction cost of $2.2 billion, has drawn criticism on social media for seats with obstructed views caused by stairways and overhangs. The stadium’s managing director for Populous’ Americas practice, Jonathan Mallie, spoke on local radio to clarify the design choices.

Mallie said the layout reflects a trade-off common to large venues, aiming to keep concourse traffic flowing while offering fans continuous sightlines from the walkways. > "When you think about that, all of design are trade-offs. One major thing that we wanted to do was alleviate as much congestion on the concourses as possible. Create open views from concourse. Old Highmark didn't have this."

He noted that placing stairways on the outer edge of the seating bowl is a standard practice, citing that 21 professional stadiums in the NFL and Major League Baseball, including 14 NFL sites, use similar outboard stairs. > "It's a way to create those views from the concourse, alleviate the congestion. And so when you go and get your drink, you can actually catch a view of the game."

Mallie added that the design also allows fans to step away from the elements without losing sight of the action, a feature absent in the previous venue. A source close to the Bills project indicated that fewer than one percent of season ticket holders have formally raised concerns about sightlines.

The Bills organization released a statement acknowledging the feedback, and the stadium will need to address the specific obstructions created by the stairways.