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Resolution directing the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) and the Directors of the Departments of Finance, Innovation and Performance (“I&P”), Mobility and Infrastructure (“DOMI”), Parks and Recreation (“CitiParks”), Permits, Licenses and Inspections (“PLI”), Public Safety (“DPS”) and Public Works (“DPW”), pursuant to § 211 of the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter (“Charter”), to furnish to City Council detailed information related to the City’s efforts to secure the 2026 NFL Draft, commitments made in furtherance of the same, and information related to the potential costs to City taxpayers to prepare for and to secure the City during the NFL Draft and any estimates of increases in tax revenues which may result from hosting the same.
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Whereas, the National Football League (“NFL”) announced in late May their decision to hold the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh; and,
Whereas, the NFL, in announcing the decision of the Fan Engagement & Major Events Advisory Committee and its owners, stated their intention to partner with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau, better known as VisitPittsburgh; and,
Whereas, the NFL reported that it had accepted Pittsburgh’s bid proposal; and,
Whereas, the City, in proceeding to carry out its commitments in said proposal, has introduced legislation (Council Bill #2024-0889), authorizing an agreement between it and VisitPittsburgh to pay the latter the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) toward coordinating a successful event; and,
Whereas, City Council, who must inevitably vote to approve many aspects of the City’s bid proposal, has yet to be provided with a copy of the bid proposal; and,
Whereas, Council Bill #2024-0889 authorizes, in addition to the payment of one million dollars ($1,000,000), also authorizes the City to commit an unspecified amount of “various in-kind City services” for which no description or cost estimate has been provided; and,
Whereas, the City of Detroit, Michigan, the host of the recently-held 2024 NFL Draft, budgeted an estimated fourteen million dollars ($14,000,000) in anticipation of massive police overtime costs when it prepared its 2024 annual budget last fall; and,
Whereas, in 2009, Pittsburgh played host to the Group of 20 (G20) Finance Ministers’ Meeting, which cost the City ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in police protection costs, which, as a National Security Special Event (“NSSE”), was reimbursed by the federal government at one-hundred percent (100%); and,
Whereas, accounting for inflation, the City could incur police overtime and other police protection costs approaching or exceeding fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000); and,
Whereas, the City, as the principal municipality where the NFL Draft and many ancillary events will occur, will potentially be exposed to the greatest risk of financial liability, for which the City is uninsured; and,
Whereas, the 2026 NFL Draft could easily be, regardless of attendance estimates, the single largest event ever hosted in Pittsburgh which will attract an expected audience equal to or exceeding its population; and,
Whereas, City Council is prepared and determined to do what is required to ensure the best possible event; and,
Whereas, Council is obligated to ensure that adequate funds are available for general operations of the government and to ensure that whatever costs must be incurred by the City in hosting this spectacular event are properly accounted for in the City’s five-year and capital improvement plans.
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows:
Section 1. The Mayor, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) and the Directors of the Departments of Finance, Innovation and Performance (“I&P”), Mobility and Infrastructure (“DOMI”), Parks and Recreation (“CitiParks”), Permits, Licenses and Inspections (“PLI”), Public Safety (“DPS”) and Public Works (“DPW”) are hereby directed, pursuant to § 211 of the Charter, to furnish to City Council the following:
a. Copies of the bid proposal and all supporting documentation submitted to the National Football League for the purposes of securing the 2026 NFL Draft;
b. Records of documents or communications between any city officials or employees and any officials or employees of the County of Allegheny and/or Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau (“VisitPittsburgh”) related to the submission of the bid to host the 2026 NFL Draft;
c. Financial projections or estimates of direct, indirect or ancillary costs and/or expenditures expected to be incurred by the City of Pittsburgh;
d. Financial projections or estimates of increases in the following tax revenues:
a. Sales taxes disbursed by or through the Allegheny Regional Asset District and/or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania pursuant to the Act of December 22, 1993, P.L. 529, No. 77, as amended (“Act 77 of 1993”);
b. Parking taxes levied by the City of Pittsburgh;
c. Earned income and/or payroll preparation taxes levied by the City of Pittsburgh
e. Estimates of costs to purchase insurance policies to minimize the risk to City taxpayers of any unfortunate circumstances implicating liability, individually or severally, on the part of the municipal corporation.
Section 2. Any Resolution or Ordinance not consistent with this Resolution is hereby repealed as to the extent of the conflict or inconsistency.