NFL draft could bring visitors to Butler County
There’s been a lot of reporting recently about how big events impact the locations where they take place.
And the bigger the event, the bigger the impact, of course.
The Detroit Free Press reported last month that the NFL draft was a $165 million boon to the city over the three days it was in town.
According to Forbes, the National Football League is a $163 billion industry.
With the NFL draft slated to come to Pittsburgh in 2026, staff writer Eddie Trizzino told us in the Thursday edition of the Eagle about the possible boost to Butler County.
For starters, Jack Cohen, president of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, said the scope of the event is so big, that people looking to stay overnight will likely have no choice but to stay in Butler County for the festivities.
Restaurants and sporting goods stores likely will have to brace for impact weeks and months before the event.
“Whenever a significant event takes place in Pittsburgh, Butler County experiences a boost in the local economy, particularly in our hotels and restaurants,” Cohen said. “We are thrilled to participate in such a major visitor event in our region.”
Hotels in the Cranberry Township area regularly get an increase in bookings when sporting events take place in Pittsburgh, and officials expect no less from an event as big as the NFL draft.
While Butler County isn’t likely to see hundreds of millions of dollars in NFL draft dollars, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that millions could flow into the county. And that’s nothing to sneeze at.
“A lot of these people live and die by the draft; you’re going to have people come in from all different directions,” said Bill Caraway, area director of sales and marketing for Home2 Suites Pittsburgh Cranberry. “When special events come in … You get a lot of push that will go into Butler County, especially since you have an easy access system to get in and out of Pittsburgh.”
Workers at local businesses will likely work more hours. Hotel and restaurant suppliers will see more product move. Storeroom doors will be hard to close. And banks will see an increase in deposits.
All to the benefit of the local community.
— RJ
