Mayor Jim Kenney, left, and former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski display the helmet with the official 2017 NFL Draft logo.
NFL DRAFT Photo by JPG PHOTOGRAPHY
Next year will mark the 20th anniversary that the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp. conceived the slogan “The Place That Loves You Back” to tout the metropolis. Come April, City officials and pigskin aficionados hope that nickname proves particularly apt for our financial and cultural growth, as the NFL announced Sept. 1 that the 82nd NFL Draft will occur on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
“This is a very passionate football town, so we’re proud to deliver this news to you,” Peter O’Reilly, the league’s director of events, said at the City Hall-set press conference. “We want to showcase this city’s amenities and give college athletes a great experience as they start their professional journeys.”
The April 27–29 occasion fulfills a goal that Eagles club president Don Smolenski considered a couple years ago, holding off last year because of the papal visit and this one due to the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center. With no equally notable event planned for next spring, the franchise put in a bid and will relish its role as the city hosts its 12th draft, including the inaugural gathering in 1936, and the first since ’60 when it took place at the Warwick Hotel in Center City.
“On a football field, you might hear about how the players need to work in harmony to make things work,” former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski said. “Well, I’m here to commend the harmony that everyone involved in this created to make this possible. The NFL Draft is back in Philadelphia!”
Jaworski, who played for the Birds from ’77 to ’86, will co-chair the host committee, along with LLR Partners partner and civic leader Ira Lubert, for the outdoor extravaganza, which the Destination Marketing Association International Impact Formula projects will net more than $86.4 million in total economic gains, with $2.9 million in city and $3.9 million in state taxes also parts of the equation. The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau expects more than 200,000 fans to participate in the celebration, for which the Eagles have a one-year deal with an option for a second, and for half of them to be out-of-towners. Such stats and the opportunity for another chance at selling the city’s charm charmed Mayor Jim Kenney as he spoke of having green blood in his veins.
“On behalf of the City and our legion of Philadelphia Eagles fans, we’re proud to be chosen as host city for the 2017 NFL Draft,” the South Philly product said to enormous cheers. “We are excited to showcase Philadelphia and our passion for football and fully expect an awesome experience for all those attending and for those watching at home. I’m thankful for the incredible team at the NFL and the Philadelphia CVB for making this happen.”
THOUGH CENTER CITY will reap the visual benefits through extensive television coverage and foot traffic, South Philadelphia and its residents and proprietors will certainly see a boost in their emotional and economic identities.
“It seems as if we’re unstoppable,” Mark Halter said Sunday upon exiting the Broad Street Subway at Oregon Avenue following his attendance at the Budweiser Made in America Festival, which also happened on the Parkway, home of the Barnes Foundation, the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Rodin Museum. “We had the NHL [Entry] Draft two years ago, then the Pope, then the DNC, and now this. It’s all pretty amazing.”
The resident of the 1100 block of Daly Street has found himself devoted to the Eagles since he moved here from Pittsburgh six years ago. Now that the team will once again have a first-round pick, thanks to Saturday’s trade of quarterback Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings, Halter looks forward to scoring an outdoor theater ticket through an early spring lottery, with good fortune meaning he will be able to view the selections as they make their way to the stage.
The festivities will find the incoming prospects walking the red carpet during the first round and will call on 32 members of the NFL Legends Community, one for each team, to announce teams’ choices on the second night. April 28 will also feature the winners of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. As with all major events, one tends to think of job creation, a point not lost on Salvatore Recchini.
“I read somewhere that there are going to be at least 26,000 jobs through the whole thing,” the 400-block-of-Fitzwater-Street resident correctly noted of the positions that the construction, hospitality, and transportation sectors will support. “I know there are those people who will want to see this event as a great way to help these kids to enjoy themselves as they prepare to become millionaires, but I care about what it’s going to do for local folks. I’m happy then that the job totals are going to be high.”
The dollar amounts associated with pulling off the overall endeavor will be considerable, too. Organizers relayed that the Thursday-through-Saturday pageantry could cost $25 million, with the City accountable for $5 million and the league set to tend to staging and similar costs. The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. has committed $500,000 through a grant, and the local government has committed the same total through tax dollars. For those with a fixation on numbers, more than 39,000 hotel room nights will end up drawing revenue, at least 1,700 media personalities will attend, and an estimated $115 million in established television and digital media advertising will make bank accounts heftier.
In securing the draft, Philadelphia will be taking the host title from Chicago, whose Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University oversaw the last two occasions, with Eagles fans hoping they will fondly remember this year’s, as the number two overall pick, quarterback Carson Wentz, will start Sunday’s 1 p.m. season opener versus the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field. An accompanying release states that fans can enjoy free fun through Draft Town, a space that will include interactive exhibits, autograph sessions with current and former players, and opportunities to take pictures with the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
“There are plenty of people who’ll want to hold that when the Eagles win the Super Bowl in three years,” Recchini said. “Here’s hoping we get someone good next year. Here’s hoping everyone makes out well, from the star athletes to the little guys.” SPR
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com.
Dignitaries including Congressman Bob Brady, second from left, Mayor Jim Kenney, third from left, and 1st District Councilman Mark Squilla are all smiles about the NFL Draft coming to Philadelphia next spring.
NFL DRAFT Photo By JPG Photography
