NFL Putting Finishing Touches On Draft Town At Grant Park
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Are you ready for some football? Grant Park certainly is, and the city is hoping to score a touchdown with this week's NFL Draft.
Wednesday morning, workers were putting the finishes on Draft Town, which is being billed as the ultimate fan experience. It's a 900,000-square-foot fan festival at Congress Plaza in Grant Park, featuring food, live music, interactive events, a Super Bowl museum, football clinics, a flag football competition,, free player autographs and more than 100 screens on which to view the NFL Draft.
It's unlike anything else the NFL has set up in the history of the draft.
"The Vince Lombardi trophy will be here. You can come get your photo taken with it. We'll also have very large displays from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, that will bring some football history here to Chicago," said Mary Pat Augenthaler, vice president of events for the NFL.
Draft Town also features Combine Corner, which allows fans to participate in some of the same activities as top prospects, like the 40-yard dash, the vertical jump and the broad jump. Kids also can try on real NFL equipment and test their skills in kicking, long snapping or playing quarterback.
The NFL also will set up what it calls the "Sweetness Simulator," named after legendary Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton. It's a wind tunnel skydive simulator, which allows fans to float in the air and strike football poses.
Draft Town will be open and free to the public during all three days of the NFL Draft:
• Thursday, April 30: 4PM - 10PM
• Friday, May 1: 4PM - 10PM
• Saturday, May 2: 10AM - 7PM
Saturday's events will close with a live concert.
For a full list of activities and attractions at Draft Town, click here.
