Politicians question Pittsburgh plan to spend $1M on 2026 NFL Draft despite city's fiscal challenges

Some Pittsburgh leaders have raised concerns about a mayoral proposal to spend $1 million in taxpayer money to support the 2026 NFL Draft in the city, which is grappling with dwindling revenues and tough financial years ahead.

“This is a lot of money during a time of increasing austerity,” City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, D-Squirrel Hill, said Monday. Strassburger oversees council’s finance and law committee.

Legislation introduced Tuesday to City Council would allocate $1 million to Visit Pittsburgh, the city’s tourism agency, which is coordinating with the multibillion-dollar NFL and other partners to prepare for the draft.

Emily Hatfield, a spokeswoman for Visit Pittsburgh, said public dollars could be spent on marketing, bolstering opportunities for minority-owned businesses or upgrading infrastructure.

Councilman Anthony Coghill, D-Beechview, said he was unaware that the city intended to spend any taxpayer funds to support the draft. He is a member of the Sports & Exhibition Authority board.

“It seems like a lot of money,” he said.

Coghill added that he’d prefer not to use any taxpayer money at all, but he acknowledged that the draft will benefit local businesses, restaurants and hotels, as football fans flock to Pittsburgh for the three-day event.

“It’s going to be an economic boom for the entire city,” Coghill said.

In May, the NFL chose Pittsburgh to host the 2026 draft, a prestigious and highly popular event in the sports world that is predicted by some to draw the largest tourist crowds in the city’s history.

The total economic impact generated from prior drafts in other cities has been estimated between $120 million and $213 million, Hatfield said.

Strassburger said she didn’t know if the city could recoup a $1 million outlay to support the draft.

“At this point, [I have] many, many questions about what the city will get in terms of additional revenue and funding and what the plan is to capture as much of that as possible,” Strassburger said.

Strassburger said she anticipates officials will get more information and have more detailed discussions about the proposal ahead of a vote on the legislation.

The spending proposal from the administration of Mayor Ed Gainey comes as the city faces difficult financial years ahead.

Revenues are forecasted to dip over the next few years, with federal covid-19 relief money drying up, Downtown property values plummeting and the so-called “jock tax” on professional athletes who don’t live in the city facing legal challenges.

Strassburger said a city appropriation for the draft would come from funds currently dedicated to maintenance, fuel and materials.

She could not immediately provide more specific details about whether that was excess money or cash being pulled away from other needs.

Olga George, a Gainey spokeswoman, said financial support from the city was a requirement when the city submitted a bid to host the draft.

“This agreement is necessary to make good on that commitment now that we’ve been selected,” George said in a statement.

Coghill and Councilman Bob Charland, D-South Side, on Tuesday criticized the administration for committing to provide money without consulting council, which must authorize such expenditures.

“That is just irresponsible,” Coghill said.

Charland asked what would happen if council declines to provide the money the administration promised.

The councilmen reiterated the city is facing financial challenges and said they’d rather see taxpayer money paying for essentials.

“We should not be in the business of spending a million dollars willy-nilly when we can’t tear down houses and we can’t pave streets,” Charland said.

“I think that will spark a negative reaction from people, knowing we’re that we’re taking your money and instead of buying a new ambulance, we’re going to use it to promote the NFL,” Coghill added.

The council bill also would commit the city to providing in-kind services. Hatfield said that likely would include assistance from the public safety and public works departments.

Coghill said he did not believe the city had enough police or EMS staffing to handle an event of that magnitude and would likely have to turn to neighboring municipalities to provide additional services.

Visit Pittsburgh has also asked Allegheny County to chip in $3 million, Hatfield said, though the county has not made the allocation yet. A county spokeswoman declined to comment.

Hatfield said additional funding is expected from the local business community, but she did not provide an overall cost estimate.

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