Football fever
Washington, Fayette, expect economic boost from NFL draft
Hotel rooms and Airbnbs are filling up in Pittsburgh as the NFL Draft approaches, and Washington and Fayette County tourism officials hope the county will reap some of the economic rewards from the event.
The draft – which will be held from April 23 to 25 – is expected to draw between 500,000 to 700,000 football fans, the biggest event the City of Champions has ever hosted, according to VisitPittsburgh.
Jeff Kotula, president of Washington County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Promotion Agency, is optimistic that local hotels and other businesses along Interstate 79 will benefit, too.
“We keep very close to our local hotel partners and have been in communication with many of them concerning hotel bookings during the week of the draft. They have reported that they are experiencing increases in reservations with many hotels now being at 70 to 80% capacity during the two peak days, with anticipation of selling out, especially around the Southpointe and Racetrack Road areas,” Kotula said.
VisitPittsburgh estimates the economic impact will be between $120 million and $200 million, which includes money spent by the NFL, locals, and visitors.
That’s based on recent drafts in host cities, where Green Bay reported $72 million in spending in 2025; Detroit, $213 million in 2024, and Kansas City, $164 million in 2023.
Washington and Fayette counties are eager for the chance to showcase their communities to out-of-towners who venture outside the city.
“We certainly hope that we will get a bump in lodging from overflow and from people who want to stay outside of the crowd in Pittsburgh, and it has been steady on those draft dates, but we’re also looking at this as an opportunity to increase awareness about Laurel Highlands and the fact that it’s so close to Pittsburgh,” said Laura Argenbright, Senior Director of Creative Strategy for GO Laurel Highlands, which promotes tourism in Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties. “We know visitors are here for the purpose of the NFL Draft, but if we can reach them and let them know not only is Pittsburgh a great city, but less than an hour away, Laurel Highlands offers great places to stay and things to do.”
Washington County has developed a campaign to promote the county during the draft, through social media, billboards, and other media, to encourage visitors to patronize restaurants, local businesses, and tourism attractions when they are not participating in the draft in downtown Pittsburgh.
“Our aim is to position Washington County as a place to decompress, avoiding the traffic and crowds around the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, and encouraging visitors to enjoy some of the excellent restaurants and attractions away from the chaos of downtown,” said Kotula.
Kotula said the tourism promotion agency arranged virtual meetings last year with its tourism counterparts situated about 30 minutes outside the draft sites in Green Bay and Detroit, the sites of the last two drafts, to determine what the county might expect in hotel stays.
The tourism promotion agency also published its 2026 Official Visitors Guide a month earlier this year and is providing the guides to all Washington County hotels to distribute to guests when they check in.
Washington County is home to the “Terrible Trolley,” a restored 1949 trolley that features the Steelers’ black-and-gold paint scheme and is on display and running at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington.
“We believe that dealing with 500,000 people in downtown Pittsburgh will be a lot, and we want our guests to explore, relax, and enjoy Washington County when they are here,” Kotula said.
Kotula said hotels also are seeing non-draft business, too, as leisure and business travelers who typically stay in Pittsburgh are looking for rooms outside of downtown, away from the draft.
GO Laurel Highlands has a large digital display at the new Pittsburgh International Airport that highlights the outdoor attractions, architectural landmarks like Fallingwater, and activities in the region, and is using geofencing, a digital tactic, to reach potential visitors.
Laurel Highlands also is a Preferred Vacation Destination Partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Westmoreland County, hosts the annual Pittsburgh Steelers training camp.
Local draft celebrations are planned, too.
Crown Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM will host a Pre-Draft Party for NFL Draft prospect Chase Mitchell, a Washington High School graduate and offensive lineman at Vanderbilt University, on April 18 from noon to 3 p.m. The event, at 1490 W. Chestnut St., Washington, will include a mini-combine, food, and music.
The City of Washington Draft Party is scheduled for April 22 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Washington Farmers Market Pavilion, and the George Washington Hotel Draft Weekend, from April 23 through 25, includes special rates and a Draft Night Party at Bradford’s on April 23.
In Westmoreland County, Wye Bar Co. will host a Pour Tour Draft Watch Party for the first round of the football draft on Thursday, April 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. The event will feature live draft viewing and a prize giveaway.