The NFL Draft Is Returning To Chicago In 2016
(CBS) The NFL Draft is coming back to Chicago.
After receiving rave reviews from the league for hosting the 2015 edition, Chicago will host the 2016 NFL Draft from April 28-30, commissioner Roger Goodell and Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Tuesday in Schaumburg, where the NFL is holding league meetings. The main location of the draft hasn't yet been set, but the Draft Town fan festival will return to Grant Park, NFL officials said.
"We're thrilled. They have earned it," Goodell said. "The success that we had last year, I think, set a new bar for the Draft. It set a new opportunity for fans to interact with the NFL. It had a tremendous impact on this community."
The 2015 draft's opening rounds were held at the Auditorium Theatre, while the big hit was Draft Town, the free interactive festival in Grant Park and Congress Plaza that drew around 200,000 people and praise from NFL officials. In Draft Town, fans could watch on projection screens and while enjoying exhibits, drinks, food, music and football activities. Later rounds of the draft were also conducted in a portion of Draft Town.
"Chicago is thrilled to welcome the 2016 NFL Draft back to America's heartland," Emanuel said in a statement. "Our world class city will once again be transformed into Draft Town, where NFL fans and players will gather as NFL teams make selections. As always, we look forward to working with the Chicago Bears, the NFL and our neighborhood partners in making this an event that puts our world class city in the spotlight, while reinvesting in communities across the city."
2015 marked the first time since 1964 that Chicago had hosted the draft, which is now a three-day event. Chicago beat out Los Angeles to host the draft in 2015 after scheduling conflicts at Radio City Music Hall in New York City led the NFL to look elsewhere.
As part of the deal to bring the 2015 draft to Chicago, the NFL had the option to bring it back to the city in 2016, according to reports.
Emanuel lobbied hard to bring the 2015 draft to Chicago, believing it would be a big boost tourism. Numbers showed that it was. The draft generated an economic impact of $81.6 million, according to a Sport Industry Research Center at Temple University study commissioned by the Chicago Sports Commission. An estimated half of the draft attendees were from outside the Chicago area.
Draft Town will be expanded in 2016, with more youth activities and community programs set to be offered.
The Bears, the city, Choose Chicago, the Chicago Sports Commission and the Chicago Park District will play the leading roles in organizing and planning for the 2016 draft in Chicago.
The NFL also announced it will develop a selection progress for determining locations of future drafts past 2016. Chicago will be among those considered.