As Pittsburgh prepares to host the NFL Draft, nearby Washington County is positioning itself as a destination for visitors looking to stay, dine and unwind just outside the city.
“People are coming in. They want to be part of Pittsburgh and the excitement, but they are going to be leaving in the morning from Washington and coming back in the afternoons and after,” Washington County Chamber of Commerce President Jeff Kutola said. “That’s when we want to capture that business.”
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Kutola says they’ve been planning for this kind of opportunity, keeping a close eye on hotel bookings.
“We keep very close tabs on our hotels. They are 70–80% booked, and we expect most of them to sell out.”
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Local businesses are also preparing for an influx of visitors.
“We are actually doing a single barrel draft for the draft, where people can come in and try one and place a vote and see what our next single barrel is going to be,” Liberty Pole distiller Jeff Deems said.
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County leaders say the draft is a chance to highlight everything Washington County has to offer.
“We are happy for the city of Pittsburgh, ... but we are looking for ancillary businesses and overflow,” County Commissioner Nick Sherman said. “We are really excited to just put our best foot forward in Washington County. We have great casinos, great restaurants and bars, great places to stay.”
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For some visitors, it may also offer a more relaxed alternative to Downtown crowds.
“It will be more of a fun time for people who want to get away from the city and still get a little Pittsburgh feel without being right smack dab in the middle of everything,” Nicole Beichner said.
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To help with transportation during the NFL Draft, Freedom Transit is adding three additional return trips from downtown Pittsburgh to Washington County on Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24. Buses are scheduled to depart at approximately 10 p.m., 11:30 p.m. and 12:15 a.m.
Rides are first-come, first-served, and transit officials say they may not be able to accommodate all riders.
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