It's official: NFL Draft returns to Chicago

Posted August 11, 2015 11:00 am

By Jay Cohen AP Sports Writer

Chicago is on the clock again.

After closing to rave reviews last May, the NFL draft is returning to Chicago for the second straight year after a long run at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The location has not been finalized, but it will be near Grant Park and run from April 28-30.

Commissioner Roger Goodell and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel made the announcement at the NFL owners' meetings in Schaumburg on Tuesday.

“We're thrilled. They have earned it,” Goodell said. “The success that we've had last year set a new bar for the draft.”

The league also announced plans to create a selection process for future draft sites. There was no commitment made to Chicago beyond 2016, but the NFL says it will be considered for future drafts.

“The NFL draft is world-class event, and I'm proud they picked a world-class city like the city of Chicago,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said.

The league was believed to be considering Los Angeles, but this year's draft in Chicago and “Draft Town,” an NFL-themed party at Grant Park, drew huge crowds, impressing the league. Chicago also is centrally located for fans of several teams, adding to the attraction for the NFL.

According to the league, more than 200,000 fans participated in draft-related events this year in Chicago. A study commissioned by the Chicago Sports Commission found the draft generated an economic impact of $81.6 million.

“It's about the national event,” said Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's senior vice president of events. “It wasn't, as we know, just Chicagoans coming here to Grant Park. There were people, every team was represented here. Again, the entire country started to converge on the heartland of football here.”

The 2015 draft was held in the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. But O'Reilly said they are considering all options.

The draft also was held in Chicago in 1938, 1942-44, 1951, and 1962-64.

The announcement was made while NFL owners were conducting a special meeting to discuss the possible return of pro football to Los Angeles.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces after the New England Patriots selects Texas running back Malcolm Brown as the 32nd pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft on April 30, 2015, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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