Next NFL draft will touch down in Philly

The  NFL draft is coming to Philadelphia in 2017, and organizers say the event will have a major economic impact on the city.  

“How cool is this?” said former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski during the official announcement of the event Thursday.

“Are you kidding me? How cool is this?”

The event will be held April 27 to 29 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Mayor Jim Kenney, who anticipates a multimillion-dollar infusion from visitors during the draft events, said it will be another boost for the city economy.

That’s “a pretty big pot of money to draw from, plus it brings a lot of hotel rooms, restaurants cabs hotel rooms, you name it,” he said. “It’s a very significant event from individual expenditures, people who come are going to be spending money.”

The first NFL draft was held in Philadelphia in 1936, when the Eagles selected Jay Berwanger first overall.

The draft was held in New York for decades before being moved in 2015 to Chicago, where it was also held this year. It was last held in Philly in 1960.

Philadelphia beat out several other locations.The first three rounds are held in prime time. The hometown Eagles won’t have a pick, however, in the first round.

And the city isn’t saying yet what services it will provide — and therefore how much money that will cost.  

Kenney said taxes and donations will probably cover most, if not all, the expense of hosting one of football’s biggest non-gameday events.