The first of a three-part written series Buffalo Blueprint where we chronicle the story of some of the people who helped bring Highmark Stadium to life:
On the front-door of the spectacular Highmark Stadium is something that greets you with warmth. Before you walk inside of its breath-taking interior, it's impossible to ignore the 5,369 names next to a large sign that reads, ‘We Built This House.’ Those names make up the people who poured their hearts and souls into designing, building and bringing Highmark Stadium to life.
If you look closer, you'll see many shared last names. While some are by coincidence, some are not. Several families helped build Highmark Stadium. The Malone family is one of those stories.
"There's a lot of our names etched in the glass over there," labor foreman George Malone III said.
Three generations of the Malone family are helping build Highmark Stadium: George Malone Jr., 64; three of his sons — Terrance Malone, 46, George Malone III, 42, and Antonio Malone, 35, — as well as George III's son, DeJaun Malone, 25.
Construction is in their blood. George Jr.'s hands have built plenty of Buffalo.
"I worked on local colleges, Roswell, UB Medical on Main Street," laborer George Jr. said. "I've done a lot of road work, the 219, the 90, the 33."
Even though George Jr. has been in construction for close to 40 years, nothing tops the new stadium project.
"This has been my biggest project. I've enjoyed it, especially since I'm a Bills fan," George Jr. said. "I've been a Bills fan all my life. Before I even knew I was a Bills fan, I was a Bills fan."
Being born and raised in Buffalo and riding the highs and lows of a diehard Bills fan, there's a different type of pride the Malone family takes in building the stadium.
"I love the Buffalo Bills. For us to be Bills fans and then work on this, it's so special," George III said. "We've worked on this from so many different aspects. Just about every single piece of material touched these hands."
The Malone family is made up of laborers and labor foremen. In the construction world, they are the glue that keeps it all together because they touch so many different parts of a construction project.
They worked on getting the site ready, earthwork and subbase preparation and drainage systems, assist tradespeople, operate power tools, material handling and more. At its peak, 1,500 laborers were present on the Highmark Stadium construction site every day.
"There wasn't one piece of scaffolding that went up [at Highmark] that my hands didn't touch. Seriously, we have been a part of so much," George III explained. "Everybody knows us around here. We've been a part of so many different projects."
"My first job was putting the fence up so we could break ground," George Jr. said. "We then blew a hole in the ground. Every step of the way, I had a hand in something. I've done about everything but put the seats in."
Since there are five Malones working on the site together, there's a certain standard they uphold to make sure their name is respected.
"Everything falls back on my dad's name," George III explained. "We don't ever want to make our father look bad, so we always come out and give it 110%. You can ask anybody about the Malone boys on the site, everybody knows us. And they're going to tell you we love the Malone boys."
The family has never worked the same project together. Since Highmark Stadium is a historically large construction site — the largest in Western New York's storied history — it awarded them the opportunity to do so. While they aren't always working side by side, knowing the importance of what they're building has brought them even closer.
Sharing the project with his three sons has created countless proud moments for George Jr.
"Since it was such a big project, it had to bind us even closer," George Jr. shared. "We have worked on a lot of big projects, but nothing as great as this. So that just brought our bond tighter. To know that this is the biggest project that has ever been done in Buffalo, and to be together with my boys, I just feel overwhelmed."
Just like many families, the Malones love hard but aren't afraid to call each other out. Working with family also means honest feedback.
"They aren't afraid to tell each other when they did something the wrong way or not up to one of the brothers' standards," George Jr. said laughing about his sons.
George III claims he's the one who isn't afraid to raise his voice but believes it comes from a good place.
"It's because we grew up together doing stuff. Sometimes it's just easier for me to yell at my brother for him to understand as opposed to explaining it nicely. It's all out of love. We don't take it home with us," George III said with a smile.
Over the last three years, the Malone boys have seen the stadium go from a hole in the ground to seeing steel create the skeleton of the stadium and the grass adding the character. Now, it's time to get it ready for guests.
"We did the impossible," George III said. "It's extremely hard to get a stadium of this size, in Buffalo winters, to completion in the amount of time we did it. Hats off to the men and women whose hands built this place."
As the Malones look out at the stadium they helped create, a view they see every day, the two agree the view will never get old.
"This — to come out and see this," George III said looking out at the pristine grass field from the Legends Deck. "It's like a coliseum, the Roman Coliseum. It's just amazing."
"Yeah, it really looks like a coliseum," George Jr. added. "It just puts a smile on your face."
When the two imagine Buffalo's version of the coliseum filled to the brim with Bills fans going ballistic, they can't help but continue to grin.
"It's going to be so loud in here," George III said. "There are no fans like Bills fans. There is nothing like Buffalo when it comes to football."
"I don't even know what I'm going to say or feel," George Jr. said of the home opener. "Chills are going to come over me."
It's hard to put into words what being a part of the new stadium project means to the Malone family. They're a family who's helped build Buffalo dating back to the 1980s. They take pride in that and take even more pride in constructing Buffalo's latest and greatest spectacle, one that will draw crowds from all over the world.
"When I was a kid, we would ride past different buildings or structures and my dad would say I helped put this and that together," George III said. "Now I get to say, my son gets to say, my brothers, we all get to say that we built this."
From the 50-yard line marker in 2022, to the day of ribbon cutting in 2026, take a look back at the milestone moments of the construction progress at Highmark Stadium.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 07, 2022.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 07, 2022.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, June 05, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, June 05, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, June 05, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, June 05, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, June 05, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 31, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 31, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 31, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 02, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 02, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 20, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 20, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 20, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 20, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 20, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 20, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 20, 2023.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, January 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, January 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, January 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, January 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, January 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, January 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, January 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, January 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, January 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 02, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 02, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 02, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 02, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 02, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, March 15, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, March 15, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, March 15, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 05, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 15, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 15, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 23, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, September 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, September 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, September 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, September 03, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 04, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 04, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 04, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 04, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 06, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, November 06, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 06, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 06, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 06, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 06, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 06, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 06, 2024.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, January 30, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 14, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 14, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 30, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 30, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 06, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 06, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 06, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 10, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 10, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 16, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 16, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 28, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 28, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 28, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, August 28, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 04, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 04, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 06, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 06, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 06, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 06, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 06, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 07, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 07, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 07, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 07, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 08, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 08, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 10, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, October 24, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 05, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 05, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 05, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, December 05, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 26, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 26, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 26, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, February 26, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 13, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 13, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 13, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 13, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 13, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 13, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, April 13, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 11, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 11, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 11, 2026.
Video Board Test, May 5, 2026 at Highmark Stadium.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, May 11, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, June 15, 2026.
Highmark Stadium, May 11, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, June 15, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, June 16, 2026.
Behind-the-scenes photos of Highmark Stadium construction, June 16, 2026.
Highmark Stadium, June 15, 2026.
Highmark Stadium, June 15, 2026.
Highmark Stadium, June 15, 2026.
