Massive concrete blocks and metal framing — accentuated by a sprawling red carpet — are taking over Pittsburgh’s Point State Park for the NFL Draft.
Forklifts were shuttling heavy equipment Monday, while workers continued erecting giant tents and a stage. Steelers Country, the team’s official fan hub, is taking shape at the Point as construction crews continue preparing the site for the event.
Football enthusiasts arriving at the park entrance in front of the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh hotel, starting Thursday, will be met with a giant bright blue entrance gate that reads “NFL Draft Experience.”
Just beyond the gate, fans will be greeted by the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, the picturesque fountain at the Point, and a sweeping view of Acrisure Stadium across the water — a backdrop that puts Pittsburgh’s landscape front and center for the showcase event.
The 12,000-square-foot interactive space at the park will be free to attend, with items for sale at concessions and merchandise areas.
All of the vendors at Point State Park are local and will keep 100% of their revenue, said Nicki Ewell, vice president of global events for the NFL.
Live Fresh Juicery is one of the local vendors with a stand at Point State Park.
For Catey Gilliam, who co-owns the business with her husband, Brett, the draft will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Live Fresh Juicery was selected through the NFL Source Program.
“We are very excited. … We’re both huge Steelers fans, and my husband has been a lifelong football fan,” said Gilliam, 33, of Swisshelm Park. “It’s definitely a big honor.”
With hundreds of thousands of fans expected to attend the NFL Draft, she’s unsure what to expect.
“We’ve done everything we can to prepare, stock up and increase our inventory, access to additional freezer and refrigeration space,” Gilliam said.
“The most nerve-wracking thing in my mind is the logistics,” she added, noting the traffic situation.
The three days of the draft could give Live Fresh record-breaking business, Gilliam said.
“I feel like we’re as equipped as we can be, but I do have excited nerves,” she said.
Ewell, the NFL executive, said crews have been in Point State Park for about 10 days in the process of constructing the draft site there, which will also have viewing screens to watch the draft.
The park has been locked down for safety purposes. “We have a lot of gear coming in — a lot of heavy equipment,” she said, with thousands of crew members setting everything up across the draft footprint.
Fan experiences at Steelers Country at the Point will include:
• Steelers Nation Unite Bar: A global Steelers-themed bar experience with rotating locations from Steelers bars around the world
• Immersive Fan Cave: A 1970s-inspired Pittsburgh basement, recreating the look and feel of a classic Steelers fan’s home
• Six Super Bowl Rings Display: Larger-than-life replicas
• Steelers legends and current player Q&As
• Live draft coverage
• Daily entertainment on the Steelers Country stage, including the Steelers Draft Countdown Show from 7-8 p.m. Thursday, 6-7 p.m. Friday
• Terrible Towel Art Piece: A custom art installation
• Yard games and photo opportunities
• Merchandise trailer
Fans also will be able to view Super Bowl trophies on display in a tent there.
“You’re going to see lots of players, Steelers legends and players from all across the National Football League — they’re going to be included in the NFL OnePass app,” Ewell said. “If you want to get free player autographs, come to the Point.”
Prospects will be at the Point from around 4-6:30 p.m. Thursday walking the red carpet, which is being set up in front of the fountain. Seventeen draft prospects will be in the Pittsburgh area starting Wednesday, Ewell said, with the potential for more.
The red carpet will function as a fan photo opportunity Friday and Saturday, and there will be a fashion show there Friday afternoon.
Getting around
To enter Point State Park, fans must present their unique QR code that’s mandatory for entry and generated through the NFL OnePass app. They will also need to follow a clear bag policy to enter through security.
People planning to experience the full draft footprint should allot about 30 minutes to walk between the NFL Draft sites on the North Shore and in Point State Park, according to the NFL.
The main walking route across the Allegheny River will be the Roberto Clemente Bridge, which will be closed to vehicle traffic.
The pedestrian walkway across the Fort Duquesne Bridge will be closed. Based on the high number of people attending the draft, who will be walking in both directions between the North Shore and Point State Park, officials determined the bridge’s walkway would not be safe.
“The reason why we’re not using the pedestrian bridge is it’s just going to be so dense of a crowd it’s just not safe to use. Hopefully, it feels a little bit less than that,” Ewell said of the 30-minute walk. “That walk really does allow engagement through all of Downtown.”
There will be ADA mobility assistance to get back and forth between the two sites, Ewell said.
Also, on Friday and Saturday, the Gateway Clipper will be shuttling people between the North Shore and Point State Park. It will not run Thursday, Ewell said, because it will be used to shuttle prospects and their families back and forth for the red carpet event.
Fan maps available on the OnePass app. Gateway Clipper shuttle times will be there as well.
Despite the logistical challenge of shuttling people across the river, Ewell said the league has handled similar setups before. In Nashville, for example, the stage and theater were on Broadway, while the fan experience was held at Nissan Stadium.
“The reason why we’re here is because there was so much demand, and we needed space for all of our partners, we needed space for the Steelers — we just ran out of space,” she said. “There’s so much demand from our partners to activate. This is second only to the Super Bowl.”
Ewell said the NFL wanted to showcase the “crown jewel” that is Point State Park.
“This is fan behavior — everybody knows to come to the Point,” she said. “We just outgrew the North Shore, which is a really good problem.”
The following concessions will be available at Point State Park:
• The Roaming Bean
• Patti’s Pastries
• Secretos de mis Abuelos
• Street Fries
• Vitalia Wood Fired Oven
• Live Fresh Juicery
• Remo’s Catering
• P’s Bird Wagon
• The Point Tavern