Even though the NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh outside Acrisure Stadium and at Point State Park, thousands of football fans will celebrate across the region.
“People throughout the weekend are going to make it a regional experience,” said Tony Caltury, director of recreation and tourism for Beaver County.
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With hotels at a premium in the city, Caltury said many fans have been booking hotels in Beaver County.
“With the proximity to the Pittsburgh International Airport, and also stops along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, we’re seeing an uptick in our accommodations and bookings,” Caltury told Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek.
Amy Pack, president of Experience Butler County, said they’re seeing the same from hotels to campgrounds.
“There’s travelers of all kinds. So, they find their niche, whether it’s a great cabin or a yurt, or they do RV camping,” Pack said. “You know, there’s a lot of groups that come in on RVs as well, and we’ve got outstanding camping too.”
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Leaders in both counties are expecting restaurants, hotels, bars, and parks to be busy.
The arts scene — like shows at the Strand Theater in Zelienople — is also expected to be part of the experience that weekend, Pack said.
It’s hard to know how much money these areas will see, but Pack said she’s expecting a lot.
“I haven’t really put a number on it,” Pack said. “We have some, some big events out here that bring in, you know, millions of dollars in a weekend. So, this is so magnified from that. We know it’s going to be a huge impact even if we get a portion of that business.”
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Both counties are also holding events surrounding the Draft weekend.
Butler County will have an NFL Draft-themed pop-up bar at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cranberry on Friday during the Draft.
Beaver County is partnering with the Larry Bruno Foundation in Beaver Falls to have memorabilia from Joe Namath’s playing days, as well as other NFL greats from Beaver County, during a welcome party on Wednesday before the draft.
“We have six NFL Hall of Famers who went to school in Beaver County, so we want to highlight that,” Caltury said.
“We can’t wait for this event to get here,” Pack added.
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