Pa. leaders use NFL Draft to promote region

“The draft has been a catalyst,” the state’s development chief said.

By AMELIA BENAVIDES-COLÓN
TribLive

A delegation of investors and business leaders got a glimpse of Western Pennsylvania’s development potential ahead of the NFL Draft on Wednesday as local officials used the NFL backdrop to pitch the region’s potential.

“We knew we wanted to showcase Pittsburgh to folks who make decisions about where companies expand and locate,” Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development Rick Siger told TribLive.

Siger said local officials invited “real estate folks that advise some of the largest companies in the world on where to make investments on industrial and commercial real estate to Pittsburgh to see some of our very best people and, most importantly, to interact with leaders of our business community and our political leadership.”

Waiting to board the Gateway Clipper ferry from Point State Park to the North Shore during NFL Draft festivities Friday are, from left, Zyon Knox, Emani Nesvit, Erionna Nesvit, Tyre Knox, Andrea Bethea, Shawnece Bethea and Taylor Jones, all of McKeesport. Jeff Helsel / Mon Valley Independent

The tour included stops in Hazelwood, Beaver County and PPG Industries’ Downtown headquarters and showcased industrial sectors such as advanced manufacturing, energy, robotics and AI.

“Half of the attendees had never been to Pittsburgh. I think they were surprised by the collaborative nature of the community, something that the Pittsburgh region has done well historically, is doing maybe better now than it has in a long time,” Siger said of the CEO Roundtable group, which included South Carolina-based Global Location Strategies and Pennsylvania real estate group Newmark.

The sentiment was shared by Allegheny County Councilman Jordan Botta, a member of the NFL Host Commit- tee whose district includes Pittsburgh’s Downtown and the North Shore.

“I am proud of what Pittsburgh accomplished, with a record-

Lilli Lee of Charleroi, a student at Slippery Rock University, and Adam Augustine of California, Pa., a student at PennWest University, pose for a photo Friday outside Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh after completing their shift at the NFL Draft. Both are sport management majors working the three-day event. Jeff Helsel / Mon Valley Independent

breaking 320,000 people attending on the first day,” he said. “A lot of work went into accomplishing that feat.”

The NFL announced in late 2024 that it would be holding this year’s draft in Pittsburgh. City and county officials spent nearly $4 million to host the event, with money going toward infrastructure upgrades and public space improvements.

Political leaders from across the region and state showed up for the first night of the draft on Thursday, with appearances from officials including Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Reps. Chris Deluzio of Fox Chapel and Summer Lee of Swissvale, and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.

Shapiro and Innamorato also attended Wednesday’s CEO Roundtable hosted by BusinessPA in partnership with the Allegheny Conference on Community Development.

Former Monessen resident Matthew Natale (right) is attending the NFL draft with his wife’s brother, David Homa Jr. A lifelong resident of Phillipsburg, N.J., and eastern Pennsylvania, Homa has been a Steelers fan for a long time even before his sister, Tracy’s marriage to Natale. The Natales reside with their two children, Nicholas and Jillian, in Butler County. Submitted

Shapiro told TribLive that the first day of the Draft “was historic and collaboration has been outstanding.”

“This is a great opportunity to showcase Pittsburgh. We hope folks enjoy their time here and we want them to come back to experience everything Pennsylvania has to offer,” he said.

Allegheny County Councilman Dan Grzybek told Trib-Live on Friday that the first day of activities exceeded expectations.

“I certainly hoped that the rest of the country got to see what a wonderful place Pittsburgh is to live, work and raise a family. But even more than that, I wanted Pittsburghers to get to enjoy the draft. On Day 1, I thought that goal was achieved.”

At-large Allegheny County Councilman Alex Rose said that officials aimed to make sure that local community members and businesses felt involved throughout the planning process.

“We have been focused on ensuring a safe and fun experience that highlights the many amazing attributes of our county to the world,” Rose said. “We also have been working to make sure that the economic benefit of hosting the draft is felt far and wide by all the different communities within the county.”

Not all locals reported a communicative environment.

North Shore restaurants told TribLive earlier this week that the monthly town hall session hosted by the NFL and Visit Pittsburgh provided little to no new information. The meetings also were mostly private, invite-only events, with Pittsburgh City Council members turned away when they tried to attend.

Siger said hosting the NFL Draft motivated local officials to push forward with redevelopment and infrastructure projects that will serve residents long after the last draft pick is made.

Improvements have included a $15 million revitalization of Market Square, a $31 million project to create 4 acres of community space in Downtown called Arts Landing and adding trees, lighting and walkways at Allegheny Riverfront Park.

“The draft has been a catalyst,” Siger said.