James Cook, Dion Dawkins to Appear at Dick’s House of Sport Grand Opening in Amherst
Fans will be able to meet Buffalo Bills running back james cook at a dedicated meet-and-greet on March 15 during the grand opening weekend of the new Dick’s House of Sport in Amherst. The player appearances bookend a three-day opening program that begins with a ribbon-cutting on March 13 and includes events and giveaways throughout the weekend.
Development details — James Cook appearance and facility features
The new Dick’s House of Sport is a 100, 000-square-foot retail and activity complex in Amherst that will officially open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 13. The grand opening celebration runs March 14–15 and will include events and giveaways across the weekend.
Player appearances are scheduled for the two weekend days: Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins will hold a meet-and-greet on March 14 from Noon until 1: 30 p. m., and james cook will appear at the same Noon to 1: 30 p. m. slot on March 15. No purchase is necessary to meet the players, though long lines are expected.
The facility will feature a climbing wall and a multi-sport cage designed for baseball, softball, lacrosse and soccer. Customers will be able to try out sports equipment in the space before making purchases. Work on the building began in May of 2025 and will be completed in time for the grand opening weekend.
Context and escalation
The opening of the Amherst location arrives amid a busy week for Buffalo Bills fans. March 11 marks the start of the NFL’s roster activity window, when teams can officially sign free agents and make trades. The organization also enters a new phase under a new head coach, and because of that coaching change the team will hold its mandatory mini-camp earlier than other clubs; that mini-camp is expected to start on April 6.
What makes this notable is the concentration of team-related activity in a short span: league roster movement begins on March 11, the store opens March 13, and fans can meet players on March 14 and 15—creating several consecutive dates of fan engagement tied directly to the team’s calendar and personnel shifts.
Immediate impact
The scheduled appearances by Dawkins and james cook create clear, short-term implications for foot traffic and fan planning. Because no purchase is required to attend the meet-and-greets but long lines are expected, organizers are advising attendees to arrive early to secure a spot. The addition of hands-on amenities—such as the climbing wall and multi-sport cage—means the location functions as both a testing ground for equipment and a destination for recreational activity, not solely a traditional retail store.
For shoppers, the ability to test gear before buying introduces a measurable change to the customer experience. For fans, the meet-and-greets and weekend giveaways provide direct access to players without a purchase barrier, a combination likely to concentrate crowds during the announced Noon–1: 30 p. m. windows on March 14 and 15.
Forward outlook
The immediate schedule is set: the ribbon-cutting opens the facility on March 13, Dion Dawkins appears March 14 from Noon to 1: 30 p. m., and James Cook is scheduled for the same slot on March 15. Construction, which started in May 2025, will be completed in time for these events. In the broader calendar, March 11 begins the NFL roster activity period, and the Bills’ mandatory mini-camp is slated to start on April 6 under the team’s new head coach.
Those are the confirmed milestones and timings that will shape the coming weeks of fan engagement and team preparation surrounding the Amherst opening and the Buffalo Bills’ spring schedule.
