Philadelphia will host the 2017 NFL Draft

After months of rumors, the NFL announced on Thursday that the 2017 draft will be held in the city of Philadelphia. Chicago played host to the draft the last two years.

The 2017 draft will be held on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the famous thoroughfare which is home to many of Philadelphia’s cultural and historical attractions, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Franklin Institute. The NFL will build a structure specifically for the event to safeguard against the possibility of inclement weather.

“Philadelphia is a passionate football town and will serve as a tremendous backdrop for the Draft and provide a great atmosphere for our fans and incoming players,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a release. “[Eagles owner] Jeffrey Lurie has been a strong advocate and supporter of the draft on behalf of the City of Philadelphia throughout the entire selection process.”

Philadelphia is no stranger to hosting major events, most recently serving as the location for the Democratic National Convention in July. Last year, Philadelphia welcomed Pope Francis as the city hosted the World Meeting of Families.

“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,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “We are excited to showcase Philadelphia and our passion for football, and fully expect an awesome experience for all those attending in 2017 and for those watching at home.”

The NFL chose to move the draft out of New York City after a poor experience in 2014. Radio City Music Hall double-booked the draft and a Rockettes performance, and the league was forced to move the draft from the last weekend of April to the first weekend of May. New York had been home to the draft for 51 years when the league decided to move the festivities to Chicago.

Chicago opened opportunities to enhance the fan experience, including Draft Town, an interactive experience for fans in Grant Park. But like Chicago, the move to Philadelphia is not expected to become an annual tradition.

Instead, the NFL is eyeing the new Los Angeles Rams stadium as a permanent host for the draft. The new Memorial Coliseum is expected to be fully operational in time for the 2019 season.

The NFL’s decision to shift the draft to Philadelphia is great news for Eagles fans, except for one thing — the Eagles do not currently have a first-round draft pick to work with in the 2017 draft. The Eagles traded that pick to the Cleveland Browns prior to the 2016 draft in order to move up and select Carson Wentz with the second overall pick.

This isn’t the first time the draft will be held in Philadelphia. The city hosted the first draft in 1936, and then again in 1949-50, 1953-54, 1956 (Rounds 1-3) and 1957-61.