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Buffalo Slip 2 Cruise Terminal Design Released; Construction Starts July 2026

Governor Hochul reveals design renderings for a new cruise ship terminal at Buffalo's Slip 2 site, with construction scheduled to begin in July 2026.

By Colin Percy · May 20, 2026

Governor Kathy Hochul has unveiled design renderings for the new Buffalo Outer Harbor Cruise Ship Terminal, a project located at the long-vacant Slip 2 site on Fuhrmann Boulevard. The facility is designed to support both domestic and international Great Lakes cruise travel, featuring customs inspection areas, public restrooms, and comprehensive site improvements including seawall shoring, site remediation, and a new promenade with multi-use paths and public seating.

Construction is set to commence in July 2026, with the terminal expected to be fully operational for the 2028 summer season. The project aims to establish Buffalo as a primary embarkation and disembarkation port, building on a 2024 market demand study that identified the site as a strategic location to capture the growing Great Lakes cruise sector. Prior to the permanent terminal's completion, the city will begin welcoming cruise ships this summer using a temporary docking site near the Erie Basin Marina.

Companies mentioned

developer

Erie Canal Harbor Development

general contractor

Empire State Development, LLC

MedicalMultifamily
tenant

American Cruise Lines

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