Pittsburgh councilmen accuse Gainey of dodging questions on $1M NFL Draft pledge
Two Pittsburgh councilmen are demanding answers from Mayor Ed Gainey's office about his pledge to spend $1 million of city money on supporting the NFL Draft when the high-profile event comes to the city in 2026.
"Nobody is filling us in on the situation," Councilman Anthony Coghill, D-Beechview, told TribLive Monday. "We have no information right now."
Coghill and Councilman Bob Charland, D-South Side, plan to introduce a bill Tuesday to require the directors of several city departments to provide details about Pittsburgh's efforts to secure the draft, commitments made in connection with the event and projected tax revenue from the three-day affair.
The pair were unhappy to learn last week that Gainey apparently committed the money as part of the city's bid to secure the draft without first consulting council.
A bill to approve the seven-figure expenditure wasn't introduced in council until last week, and details remain murky.
Charland said the legislation to be introduced this week may be the only way council can get answers to its questions.
"It feels like this might be the only way we can get a level of communication from the administration," Charland said, adding he was particularly troubled by the mayor's offer to commit money before talking it over with council, which has the final say on whether to spend it on the draft.
The timing of the proposal didn't sit well with Coghill and Charland, who lambasted Gainey over the idea of spending taxpayer money on the pro football league's event while the city is struggling with declining revenues and tight financial margins in the years to come. The NFL, meanwhile, boasts billions of dollars in annual revenue.
The proposal came to a surprise to several council members, who said they were unsure about what costs the $1 million would cover and what kind of deal the administration had already struck.
Coghill and Charland said they need more information before they can vote on the proposal.
"Basically, we are asking all the questions we should have already been briefed on so council can make a responsible decision," Coghill said.
Olga George, a spokeswoman for Gainey, has not responded to questions about the pledge, including whether there is a written agreement between the city and the NFL.
The Steelers submitted a formal bid in February to host the event.
Gainey's proposal also would commit the city to providing in-kind services, which would likely include assistance from the city's public safety and public works departments.
Coghill raised questions last week about how much that will cost the city and whether Pittsburgh has enough personnel to meet the demands of such a large-scale event, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people.
Coghill acknowledged the event will benefit local businesses, hotels and restaurants. He said he doesn't want to jeopardize the city's ability to host the event, but would prefer finding money other than city funds to support the draft.
The NFL in May announced Pittsburgh would host the league's marquee offseason event in two years. Officials predicted the draft could draw some of the largest crowds the city has ever seen.
The total economic impact generated from prior drafts in other cities has been estimated between $120 and $213 million, according to Visit Pittsburgh, the tourism agency coordinating with the city, the NFL and other partners ahead of the draft.
But council members said they're unsure whether the city would directly recoup the money the mayor wants to allocate to Visit Pittsburgh to help with draft-related costs.
Councilman Khari Mosley, D-Point Breeze, who introduced Gainey's bill requesting $1 million, said he supports the city funding an event that's projected to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors and millions in spending.
"This is going to be one of the largest events in the city in recent memory," Mosley said Tuesday.
He said it was "strategic" for Pittsburgh to partner with the tourism bureau in light of estimates that more than 700,000 people flooded Detroit for this year's draft.
Mosley said he was unaware of any agreements made between the administration and the NFL or the tourism bureau.
Mosley said he believed the money Gainey wants to put toward the draft is extra cash is not currently earmarked for other needs.
Visit Pittsburgh spokeswoman Emily Hatfield said the tourism agency is asking Allegheny County to chip in $3 million, but county leaders have not yet taken any action to do so.
