New Highmark Stadium Featured on CBS Mornings with Rob Marciano

As anticipation for the New Highmark Stadium soars, Rob Marciano brought CBS Mornings on location to highlight the venue’s cutting-edge weather mitigation strategies and thoughtful approach to its football-first design. Community is the heartbeat of the Buffalo Bills, which is why the new stadium design is deeply rooted in the “Bills Mafia” culture, creating a fortress that embraces the elements rather than hiding from them.

The New Highmark Stadium was designed as a focal point for the region’s resilience and deep-rooted pride. In the segment, Marciano spoke with Global Director and Managing Director of Populous’ Americas practice, Jonathan Mallie, and Founding Partner and Global Director, Scott Radecic, who provided expert perspectives on balancing innovation with tradition. Mallie detailed the architectural strategy behind the stadium bowl’s massive 360-degree canopy, explaining how it is designed to shield approximately 65% of seats from precipitation while strategically funneling wind to reduce turbulence on the field — turning Buffalo’s notorious weather into a distinct home-field advantage.

Technological innovation also takes center stage in the stadium’s “intimate yet intimidating” design. As Marciano reported, the canopy and field are equipped with the world’s largest hydronic snow-melt system. Sensors detect accumulation and automatically activate heating elements to melt snow, ensuring the game goes on and the structure remains safe. Inside, radiant heaters are strategically placed in concourses and gathering areas to offer fans relief from the bitter cold.

Radecic, drawing on his experience playing in Buffalo, emphasized the importance of the “Family Circle” plaza and the “stacked” seating bowl. He explained to Marciano how the vertical seating design brings fans closer to the action, trapping crowd noise to create a deafening roar that rivals any in the league, effectively “stacking” the energy of the Bills Mafia directly on top of the opposing team.

The New Highmark Stadium is much more than a new gameday destination. Instead, it’s a technological marvel and a towering testament to a community that thrives in the cold and is ready to welcome the future of the NFL in 2026.