Pittsburgh Examines $1M In Taxpayer Money For NFL Draft

PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Excitement is in the air as Pittsburgh gets ready to host the NFL Draft in two years. A new city resolution would pledge $1 million in taxpayer money to support the event. But, it has raised concerns with critics who say there isn’t enough money in the city’s budget to support the bill. “I was assured this morning before our meeting and council session that it is not taking away from any existing city operations or city programs,” said Khari Mosely when asked where the proposed funding would come from. The plan proposed by Mosley would allocate $1 million to VisitPITTSBURGH, the agency that is currently coordinating the multi-billion-dollar 2026 NFL Draft event. VisitPITTSBURGH shared that with 50 million viewers worldwide, the exposure and anticipated economic impact will far outpace the initial investment. “Previous destinations have reported anywhere from $120 to upwards of $213 million in economic impact and we expect Pittsburgh to be well within that range,” said Emily Hatfield, the senior director of communications for VisitPITTSBURGH. However, some city leaders are concerned about spending taxpayer money. Councilman Anthony Coghill said the city is already offering in-kind donations such as venue space, emergency responders, and public works services free of charge.