How the Point will transform to host the three-day event

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• State and local agencies are collaborating on public safety plans for the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
• The event is expected to draw up to 700,000 visitors to Point State Park and the North Shore.

With the NFL Draft less than six weeks away, state police and park rangers are ramping up public safety preparations at Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle.

Pennsylvania State Police Troop B Public Information Officer Rocco Gagliardi said representatives from all 16 troops have been working together for over a year to create emergency-ready plans for the three-day event, which is projected to bring 500,000 to 700,000 visitors. The draft is scheduled for April 23-25.

“You don’t see that page two of the plan book where we exercise those plans,” Gagliardi said. “We want to make sure that [the Draft] just goes as seamless as possible with all of those different groups that we have to work with 100%.”

One of these key groups, Gagliardi said, includes the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

PEMA spokesperson Jeff Jumper said they have been in communication with local and state agencies since the fall to “ensure readiness of Pennsylvania assets ahead of the NFL Draft and other events scheduled throughout 2026.”

One of those assets includes the Urban Search and Rescue Strike Task Force (PA-ST1), based in Pittsburgh. The group assists emergency management agencies in structural collapse rescues.

“We have to make sure all grounds are covered, whether that’s with [the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources] directly, whether that’s with the governor’s office and PEMA, or whether that’s maybe just with a more local entity, like hazardous fire crews and EMS personnel … the list kind of just continues theoretically forever,” Gagliardi said.

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As of 2021, PSP has operated with about 4,547 active troopers, supported by over 1,850 staff members. Gagliardi said Troop B will be pulling resources, like individual troopers, from surrounding troops during the draft week.

“You’re going to see [PSP] troopers from Troop B, and then you’re going to see other troop letters from D, C, and A possibly that also come in just because of the influx of public,” Gagliardi said. “We want to make sure that safety is a priority.”

In an email, a VisitPittsburgh spokesperson said the organization does not “generally discuss” security and safety protocols. VisitPittsburgh is part of the local organizing committee for the draft.

State officials have helped facilitate communication between Pittsburgh public safety officials, county sheriff’s offices, and state police, said State Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger.

“Our [Commonwealth] teams are focused on public safety, transportation … making sure we’re fully integrated with local teams to make sure the draft is a safe and an outstanding experience for all comers,” he said.

Providing a positive experience

The main stage will be located outside of Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore. Renderings of the planned stage were released in early February. NFL Vice President of Global Events Nicki Ewell said similar renderings will be released for events at Point State Park in early April.

“That’ll come with our fan-facing map. The plans for the Point are the red-carpet experience where the prospects will get ready with mom and dad and girlfriend before they head over to the green room,” Ewell said.

Pop-up bars, large viewing screens, games, exhibits, and an autograph stage will also be scattered throughout the park. For food, the same vendors will be at draft events all three days, said Jerad Bachar, president and CEO of VisitPittsburgh.

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Last December, planning officials with the NFL visited the region and gathered local businesses to meet with subcontractors, in hopes of securing a contract to become an official vendor for the draft. These businesses underwent months of NFL-led training to be a part of the NFL Draft Source Program.

There are about 100 businesses in the program that were selected out of several hundred applicants, Draft Source lead Myisha Boyce said.

Point State Park improvements

Construction upgrades at Point State Park are helping public safety preparations, Gagliardi said.

The first phase of $3.4 million in significant improvements to Point State Park ahead of the NFL Draft was completed in December. DCNR made repairs to address leaks and to improve the lighting of the fountain, as well as repairs to walkways, utilities and landscaping.

While Duquesne Light did not do any electrical upgrades at Point State Park, company workers are doing manhole inspections at the park and North Shore areas ahead of the draft, External Communications Associate Alyssa Battaglia said. She also said the NFL is bringing its own power generation to run the events at the North Shore and the park.

Road work to be suspended during NFL Draft

Another element of public safety planning, Gagliardi said, is transportation and streamlining communication around construction projects.

“PennDOT will suspend any lane restrictions on projects in and around the City of Pittsburgh during the draft days, said Steve Cowan, District 11 press officer for the state Department of Transportation.

Most public safety announcements on the days of the draft, like traffic alerts, will be communicated through Troop B’s X account, as well as the City of Pittsburgh’s, Gagliardi said.

“With PennDOT, we’re going to have a large number of people and drivers coming into the city. What does that look like for road closures, especially on the North Shore or in tunnels or bridges?” Gagliardi said. “Maybe there’s a serious crash. How do we alert drivers in rerouted directions? Working with PennDOT for signage boards … the list goes on and on, and we are all working together on that.”