Trees being removed from Pittsburgh's North Shore to make room for NFL Draft setup

Dozens of trees are going to be removed from Pittsburgh's North Shore to help make way for the setup for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

VisitPittsburgh said Monday that "a limited number of trees" are scheduled to removed from the North Shore by the end of March to help accommodate infrastructure and public safety requirements for when the NFL Draft comes to Pittsburgh.

Renderings of what the NFL Draft Theater and Main Stage is expected to look like were released last month and the space outside Acrisure Stadium is expected to take up more area than a football field. 

Along Art Rooney Avenue and West General Robinson Street near Acrisure Stadium, nearly 50 trees were marked with signage from Pittsburgh's Forestry Division, signaling that the tree will be removed.

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy said it will be partnering with the city and with VisitPittsburgh to help relocate the trees elsewhere in the city.

"Together, we will plant 100 trees in neighborhoods and parks where expanding tree canopy can have the greatest environmental and community impact," the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy said in a statement. "Increasing canopy helps reduce urban heat, improve air quality, manage stormwater, and strengthen neighborhood resilience."

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy said it will maintain each tree for a period of two years to ensure strong and healthy growth. 

"Through volunteer planting days and community engagement, this initiative will bring neighbors together while creating a living legacy that will continue to grow long after the Draft has passed," the conservancy said.

The NFL Draft will be held from April 23-25 and is expected to bring an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 people to the city.