{"id":14001,"date":"2015-05-01T15:26:39","date_gmt":"2015-05-01T20:26:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=14001"},"modified":"2015-05-02T11:53:05","modified_gmt":"2015-05-02T16:53:05","slug":"sprawling-nfl-draft-town-consumes-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/sprawling-nfl-draft-town-consumes-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Sprawling NFL Draft Town consumes park"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Tim Penman
\nVideo by Julie Woon<\/p>\n

\"NFL<\/p>\n

Medill’s Draft coverage<\/h1>\n

Two dozen Medill reporters are covering the 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago. Check back for breaking stories all weekend.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A carnival-like atmosphere marked the first-ever NFL Draft Town held in Chicago\u2019s Grant Park on\u00a0Thursday. Fans in jerseys emblazoned with every imaginable team logo strolled the 319 acre expanse known as the city\u2019s front lawn, thrilled to be taking part in the first draft held here in more than 50 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is like Graceland for me here,\u201d Rams fan Brian Catanzaro said. \u201cI live and breathe the draft.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of hosting the draft, Chicago\u2019s iconic park was transformed into a sprawling theme park with multiple stages, team tents, a draft tavern, a 40-yard field goal kicking area and other amenities all designed to provide a great fan experience for the 100,000 people expected to participate in the festivities over the three days.
\n<\/p>\n

Half of the layout was devoted to fun areas for kids, who could take snaps, throw at rings, kick extra points or run through training drills. Video game areas and NFL scouting combine drills allowed the youngsters to demonstrate their speed and agility. An NFL Play 60 mini field was set up and filled with scores of kids running around coaches in an excited frenzy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s mammoth,\u201d longtime Packers fan Steve Tate said. \u201cI\u2019m still trying to get my bearings.\u201d<\/p>\n