**Investing in the youth:** The NFL Draft is all about the future of football. Those who hear their names called over the next few days on the Draft Stage in Pittsburgh will embark on a further future in the game.
They aren't the only ones with a bright football future though, thanks to a collaboration announced on Wednesday by a number of local and national organizations - including the Steelers – who are doing their part to give young athletes in the Pittsburgh region a positive start.
Steelers President Art Rooney II, Steelers Vice President of Business Development & Strategy Dan Rooney, General Manager Omar Khan, Coach Mike McCarthy, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt were on hand, along with other dignitaries, for the ribbon cutting of the U.S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green, a new multipurpose field which was designed to provide recreation, sports, and community space for the Hazelwood community, adjacent Mon Valley and residents across the Pittsburgh area.
"This new facility will be home to great competition, strong bonds and lifelong memories," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "With the support of the NFL Foundation, the Steelers, through Steelers Charities, are once again demonstrating their commitment to community and legacy of excellence both on and off the field."
The field was developed in collaboration with the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Tishman Speyer, Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities and Steelers Charities. The project is made possible by a $10.8 million grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, with additional support from Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities, Steelers Charities, Central Catholic High School and the NFL Foundation.
"Football has always been more than a game in Western Pennsylvania — it's part of the fabric of our communities," said Art Rooney, II, President of Steelers Charities. "The field allows us to honor generations of families who built this region's football tradition and carry that spirit forward across the wide variety of sports that will be played on this new field. We are proud to help create a place where youth from Hazelwood and across all of Pittsburgh can learn, grow, and experience the confidence, pride and belonging that come from playing team sports."
U. S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green is part of U. S. Steel's commitment to actively engage in the community and bring long-term benefits and vitality to Hazelwood, the neighboring Mon Valley and broader Pittsburgh area.
"For generations, U. S. Steel has been part of the Mon Valley and Pittsburgh," said U. S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt. "We're investing more than one billion dollars in Pennsylvania steelmaking, modernizing our operations, and building for the long term. And we're investing in our communities, too. This field is about building strong communities, where kids can play safely, neighbors can gather, and futures can take shape. Simply put: We're building more than steel. We're building Pennsylvania."
The site for U.S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green is a former 178-acre industrial site, which is located along the Monongahela River. Hazelwood Green is a sustainable mixed-use redevelopment for showing Pittsburgh's leadership in robotics, biotech and advanced manufacturing through partnerships that include Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Innovation Center and the University of Pittsburgh's BioForge, which are complemented by efforts to expand community amenities and housing.
The transformation of the site has been led by site owner Almono LP, a partnership of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. Tishman Speyer is the developer for the entire Hazelwood Green site.
"Today's announcement marks an important milestone in realizing the broader Hazelwood Green vision," said Sam Reiman, Director & Trustee of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. "Already a hub of innovation—with Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh—the new field, alongside the recently announced housing development, adds critical community infrastructure that brings economic opportunity and quality of life into alignment. We're proud to have played a role in a project that honors Hazelwood's past while strengthening its future."
"We are proud to partner with the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities, and Steelers Charities to bring this field to Hazelwood Green," said Tishman Speyer CEO, Rob Speyer. "It brings energy to the site and gives young people a place to play and build community."
U.S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green will officially open in late summer this year, and feature a full-size athletic field with seating for approximately 3,000 fans, a press box and concession stand, with a park and paved plaza area for gatherings and events.
"Projects like this demonstrate what's possible when local organizations unite around a shared goal and work together to support communities in a holistic way," said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. "A high-quality, accessible field doesn't just support sports—it drives activity in the Hazelwood community, expands opportunities for local recreation and programming, and helps connect neighborhoods throughout our region."
Among the events that can be held include youth football games, flag football games, high school football, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and rugby. Steelers Youth Football camps and flag football camps will also be held there.
"Sports are important in Pittsburgh and youth sports provide young people with a safe opportunity to have fun, develop skills and be part of a team," said Corey O'Connor, Mayor of Pittsburgh. "We want Pittsburgh to be every family's first choice and that means collaboration to provide high quality recreation spaces for our youth and families. We are grateful for all of the partners in this project for your investment in bringing new opportunity for our local community here in Hazelwood and across the city."
The field will be the home field for the Hazelwood Cobras youth sports program, something that is welcomed by the community as a whole.
"Helping to strengthen the Hazelwood neighborhood is our mission and the Hazelwood Initiative was pleased to work alongside the project partners to ensure the voice of the community was reflected in this new state-of-the-art facility," said Sonya Tilghman, Executive Director of the Hazelwood Initiative, Inc. "We welcome the U. S. Steel Community Field to Hazelwood and celebrate what it represents for the children and families of our community – a safe, vibrant place to come together, grow, and dream."
In addition, Central Catholic High School will use the field for varsity and junior varsity football practice and home games and soccer home games as well as other sports.
"Central Catholic is grateful to partner with the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Tishman Speyer, Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities and Steelers Charities on the U. S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green, and to be among the first occupants," said Matthew Stoessel, President of Central Catholic High School. "This project reflects not only the exceptional quality of the facility and the strength of its partners, but also Central Catholic's nearly 100-year commitment to the Pittsburgh region, especially the Hazelwood community. With nearly 30% of our students coming from city neighborhoods, it was important for us to be part of an initiative that directly invests in the communities we serve. We are proud to build on our long-standing support for Pittsburgh families, expand access to a Central Catholic education, and create new opportunities for success both in the classroom and on the field. The future is bright, and we look forward to strengthening these connections for years to come."
In the future the field will gain use from colleges, universities, high schools, club and semi-professional teams across the tri-state region for sports and activities.
"When you look at it from the infancy stages, it's always difficult for people to envision what you're trying to do," said Steelers legend Charlie Batch, who was emcee of the ribbon cutting and is from Homestead, Pa., part of the Mon Valley area. "There was a vacant parcel, and now, with all the cleanup work and construction, it's a youth football field. It's an awesome time not just for the City of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Hazelwood in general, and then when you see the announcement that Central Catholic High School football, who have been a dominant force for years but never truly had a home field, they will be playing there, it's amazing. I think it's going to be a great asset to the area and you're going to continue to see the growth in Hazelwood and beyond."
Following the ribbon cutting, there was an NFL Play Football Prospects Clinic, featuring the college players in town for the draft. The players conducted drills for youth from Special Olympics and the Hazelwood Cobras.