PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE. COUNTY EXECUTIVE SARA INNAMORATO SHARED PRELIMINARY REPORTS WITH COUNTY COUNCIL, AND WHAT EVERYONE IS WAITING FOR IS ECONOMIC IMPACT. THE NFL WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON RESULTS OF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO WERE ABLE TO WORK INSIDE THE CAMPUS SOON. 150 SMALL BUSINESSES AND VENDORS LIKE FOOD AND BEVERAGE, CARPETING, VIDEOGRAPHY, FENCING AND MORE WERE SCREENED AND SELECTED BY THE NFL TO BE A PART OF THE DRAFT EXPERIENCE HERE IN PITTSBURGH. BEYOND ECONOMIC IMPACTS, THOUGH, SHE SAYS THE DRAFT ALSO SHOWCASED THE CITY LEADING UP TO IT. THE MAYOR’S OFFICE AND COUNCIL FOCUSED ON CLEANING UP DOWNTOWN. THE COLLECTION CLOCKED 40,800 VOLUNTEER HOURS AND REMOVED 7.3 MILLION POUNDS OF DEBRIS, INCLUDING 53,384 TIRES, AND THEY FINISHED UP SOME LONG AWAITED MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS LIKE MARKET SQUARE AND ARTS LANDING. THIS IS GOING TO BE PUBLIC CIVIC SPACES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ENJOYED FOR GENERATIONS WITH ARTS LANDING. IT’S THE NEW PERMANENT HOME TO THE THREE RIVERS ARTS FESTIVAL THAT’S GOING TO BE HAPPENING THIS SUMMER. AGAIN, IT HAS A WORLD CLASS COLLECTION OF PUBLIC ART, AND IT’S DOWNTOWN’S FIRST EVER PLAYGROUND, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING. AND ALSO PUBLIC RESTROOMS, WHICH WE CAN ALL GET BEHIND DOWNTOWN. PRT SAYS THE THREE DAY EVENT WENT SMOOTHLY, WITH MANY ATTENDEES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF FREE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS LIKE THE T PARK AND RIDES, THE GATEWAY CLIPPER, AND EVEN BIKING. A TREND INNAMORATO HOPES CONTINUES. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ALSO NOTED THAT 911 HANDLED A NORMAL VOLUME OF CALLS. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTED 229 TOTAL CALLS FOR SERVICE, INCLUDING 45 HOSPITAL TRANSPORTS, OVER THE THREE DAYS. THEY ALSO REPORTED TWO ARRESTS IN ONE CITATION WITHIN THE DRAFT CAMPUS, ALONG WITH 17 ADDITIONAL ARRESTS. ALL OF THIS IN AN EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME BACK AND VISIT THE CITY, AS WELL AS ATTRACT NEW BUSINESS HERE. THAT’S SOMETHING THE MAYOR AND THE GOVERNOR AND MANY OTHERS WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON OVER THOSE THREE DAYS OF DRAFT WEEKEND. CO
Allegheny County Executive shares early NFL Draft findings with council
Updated: 11:19 PM EDT Apr 28, 2026
Local officials are reviewing the outcomes of hosting the NFL draft in Pittsburgh, with preliminary reports highlighting local business involvement, city cleanup efforts and downtown improvements.Official numbers are still being calculated to see who made money and who lost it.Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato shared early findings with the county council on Tuesday, noting the participation of local businesses in the event.”One hundred and fifty small businesses and vendors, like food and beverage, carpeting, videography, fencing and more, were screened and selected by the NFL to be a part of the draft experience here in Pittsburgh,” Innamorato said.In addition to economic impacts, the draft showcased the city’s efforts to clean up downtown ahead of the event.”The collection clocked 40,800 volunteer hours and removed 7.3 million pounds of debris, including 53,384 tires,” Innamorato said. The city also completed several multimillion-dollar projects, including Market Square and Arts Landing, which are expected to benefit the community for years to come. “This is going to be public civic spaces that are going to be enjoyed for generations. With Arts Landing, it’s the new permanent home to the Three Rivers Arts Festival that’s going to be happening this summer again. It has a world-class collection of public art, and it’s downtown’s first-ever playground, which is really exciting. And also public restrooms, which we can all get behind downtown,” Innamorato said. Pittsburgh Regional Transit reported smooth operations during the three-day event, with many football fans taking advantage of free transportation options such as park-and-rides, the T, the Gateway Clipper and biking. Innamorato hopes that these transportation trends continue. Public safety officials reported 229 total calls for service during the draft, including 45 hospital transports, two arrests, one citation within the draft campus, and 17 additional arrests. The county executive noted that 911 handled a normal volume of calls during the event. Officials emphasized that the draft was part of broader efforts to encourage people to return to downtown Pittsburgh and attract new businesses, a focus of both the governor and mayor throughout the weekend.
PITTSBURGH —
Local officials are reviewing the outcomes of hosting the NFL draft in Pittsburgh, with preliminary reports highlighting local business involvement, city cleanup efforts and downtown improvements.
Official numbers are still being calculated to see who made money and who lost it.
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato shared early findings with the county council on Tuesday, noting the participation of local businesses in the event.
“One hundred and fifty small businesses and vendors, like food and beverage, carpeting, videography, fencing and more, were screened and selected by the NFL to be a part of the draft experience here in Pittsburgh,” Innamorato said.
In addition to economic impacts, the draft showcased the city’s efforts to clean up downtown ahead of the event.
“The collection clocked 40,800 volunteer hours and removed 7.3 million pounds of debris, including 53,384 tires,” Innamorato said.
The city also completed several multimillion-dollar projects, including Market Square and Arts Landing, which are expected to benefit the community for years to come.
“This is going to be public civic spaces that are going to be enjoyed for generations. With Arts Landing, it’s the new permanent home to the Three Rivers Arts Festival that’s going to be happening this summer again. It has a world-class collection of public art, and it’s downtown’s first-ever playground, which is really exciting. And also public restrooms, which we can all get behind downtown,” Innamorato said.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit reported smooth operations during the three-day event, with many football fans taking advantage of free transportation options such as park-and-rides, the T, the Gateway Clipper and biking. Innamorato hopes that these transportation trends continue.
Public safety officials reported 229 total calls for service during the draft, including 45 hospital transports, two arrests, one citation within the draft campus, and 17 additional arrests. The county executive noted that 911 handled a normal volume of calls during the event.
Officials emphasized that the draft was part of broader efforts to encourage people to return to downtown Pittsburgh and attract new businesses, a focus of both the governor and mayor throughout the weekend.