Governor Josh Shapiro Backs Pittsburgh Steelers’ Bid to Host the and promised.....

Pennsylvania’s Harrisburg Governor Josh Shapiro has declared his support for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ proposal to host the NFL Draft in 2026 or 2027, furthering his goal to establish Pennsylvania as a national economic leader.

The NFL has held its annual player selecting process in various cities around the country since 2015. Philadelphia was one of those cities in 2017. The Steel City might receive more than 350,000 tourists and an increase in direct spending into Pennsylvania’s economy of more than $100 million if it is chosen for the 2026 or 2027 draft.

In Pennsylvania, tourism is one of the biggest and most significant industries, employing more than 486,000 people and bringing in over $76 billion annually. According to VisitPittsburgh’s estimation, Pittsburgh’s economy would be affected by holding the draft between

Pennsylvania’s Harrisburg Governor Josh Shapiro, who is dedicated to establishing Pennsylvania as a national economic leader, declared his support for the draft, estimating that Pittsburgh’s economy will benefit by $120 million to $160 million.

Governor Josh Shapiro stated, “We would be honored for the NFL Draft to be a centerpiece of these celebrations. As the birthplace of America and as we prepare to celebrate our country’s 250th birthday in 2026, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be a central hub of economic activity over the next several years.” Pittsburgh is the greatest city in the nation to hold the NFL Draft because it has made a name for itself as one of the most vibrant East Coast cities and the home of professional football. The Commonwealth ofIn order to host this historic draft and demonstrate to the nation what Pennsylvania is all about, Pennsylvania is eager and prepared to collaborate.

To commemorate the United States of America’s 250th birthday in 2026, Pennsylvania will play home to several prestigious national and international events, such as the MLB All Star Game.

PGA Championship, NCAA March Madness, FIFA World Cup, and the game.

Pennsylvanians have more opportunity to follow their passion, provide for their families, and prosper thanks to tourism, which is a strong economic engine that powers Pittsburgh’s hospitality and entertainment sectors as well as the state’s parks, trails, and outdoor recreation establishments.

For this reason, the tourist sector is given top priority in Governor Shapiro’s Economic Development Strategy, the first of its type in almost 20 years, which also uses a fresh marketing approach to highlight all that Pittsburgh and the Commonwealth have to offer. This plan expands on the efforts of the Shapiro Administration to establish Pennsylvania as a pioneer in

Governor Shapiro thinks we need to actually invest in our small businesses and tourism sector rather than just talking about it. The budget plan for Governor Shapiro for 2024–25 calls for an increase in funding of $18 million for company marketing and tourism in order to assist draw more tourists to Pennsylvania and support the industries they support. In addition, the Governor’s budget requests $3.5 million to establish and initiate the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge in order to promote regional development, as well as a $25 million investment in the Main Street Matters program, which supports local businesses.

You can see the whole letter the governor addressed to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell endorsing the Pittsburgh Steelers’ candidacy to host the NFL Draft here.

Pennsylvania’s can be read atfirst plan for economic growth in this area in almost two decades. Visit shapirobudget.pa.gov to learn more about how the governor’s proposed budget will provide opportunities for all Pennsylvanians.