New York Governor Kathy Hochul encountered a quiet crowd when she attempted to lead a Buffalo Bills chant during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the team's new $2.1 billion stadium, Highmark Stadium. The event, held on June 23, 2026, marked the official opening of the new facility, which replaces the Bills' longtime home.
Hochul, wearing a Bills hat and team-colored attire, took the stage and began with an energetic, "Alright, let's get this party started, let's go!" Her attempt to ignite the crowd, however, was met with a minimal response. Undeterred, she continued by yelling, "Buffalo, let's go!" and pointed to different sections of the stadium in an effort to start a call-and-response chant, but the fans remained largely silent.
Addressing the lack of enthusiasm directly, Hochul stated, "Alright, seriously? You want to win a championship season with that kind of enthusiasm? Men and women of labor, you know what I'm talking about," before making another attempt to initiate a chant, which again received no significant reaction. She then remarked, "We gotta give this place some good karma, right?", referring to the new stadium.
The new Highmark Stadium is designed to seat 60,000 spectators and is nearing completion. According to Bills Senior Vice President of Design and Stadium Operations Frank Cravotta, the stadium is 99.75% complete. The facility boasts features such as underground heating coils for the natural grass field, specialized lights for grass growth, a snow-melt system, and a canopy designed to shield fans from wind during Buffalo's winter months. The Bills are scheduled to hold their first training camp practice at the stadium, titled "Return of the Blue & Red," on August 8.