Mr.

Mayor, Corey O'Connor.

What a pleasure to meet you.

Thanks so much for spending some time with WQED.

The NFL Draft.

I think we're ready.

I think, you know, this is something that is historic in Pittsburgh, and I think you see it everywhere.

The Pittsburghers are excited.

They're excited to tell their story.

You know, they're excited to tell Pittsburgh's new story and where it's going and the pride in our neighborhoods.

You know, the cleanups that are going on, various things that paying attention to details in neighborhoods really help.

But I also think we're excited to read up, to welcome all these people to Pittsburgh and teach them about our language and our arts and culture and all the things that we have, that when somebody comes here that's never been they're going to be surprised.

And I think that's what we want to do.

We want to surprise a lot of people that week.

Now, you said a few weeks ago the Draft has to be more than just football.

The people need to understand that Pittsburgh looks beyond sports with our cultural scene.

Can you tell us more about those feelings and and why you think the Draft is a catalyst?

Yeah, I mean, obviously you're going to have 50 million viewers of the Draft throughout the three days, and then you're going to have a couple hundred thousand here that week.

But it's our time to talk about what else we have to offer in Pittsburgh, from our beautiful skyline that you're going to see if you travel in.

You're not going to expect when you come through the Fort Pitt Tunnel.

Here's the city.

That view gets everybody every single time.

But then also we're unique because were the stages.

You're always going to see the Three rivers.

You're always going to see the point downtown, the crowds and then panning out to neighborhoods.

So I mean I think it's a great opportunity for us to talk about Pittsburgh and all the things that we have to offer besides football.

You know, we're not a steel mill town anymore internally in the city.

We're, you know, AI robotics, techs, start ups, local restaurants and shops and our arts community, our rich culture here in Pittsburgh.

We now have an opportunity to finally tell those stories.

And I think that's why we're very excited when the Draft is over.

What is next?

Are we looking into other events, business developmen to bring new life to the city of Pittsburgh, and what can residents expect from the city and your administration in 2026 and beyond?

Yeah, I mean, after obviously we have other events, you know, big 4th of July this year is coming up, but also it's about, you know, building on that momentum so that we can create a buzz about why are you not coming to Pittsburgh?

Why are you not living in Pittsburgh?

Why haven't you visited Pittsburgh?

And I think for us, we call ten companies a week, local, national to say, hey, have you thought about Pittsburgh or you have a connection to Pittsburgh?

Have you ever thought of coming back?

Because our goal is if we provide opportunities for our residents.

So a new firm opens up in Pittsburgh, a new manufacturing site opens up that's only going to create jobs and wealth for Pittsburghers.

And that's got to be our vision and our goal at the end, because it's about providing jobs and opportunities.

And the Draft gives us that spotlight to talk about what we have to offer.

And then the follow ups after is, hey, I heard you were here.

What'd you think?

And also going around that week of the Draft, not just talking to Pittsburghers with people that are from out of town to say, hey, what did we surprise you with?

What do you like about Pittsburgh?

What can we improve on?

It's a learning experience, even for us.

What are some of the moments you're looking forward to the spaces downtown that you think will really surprise people?

I mean, I think, you know, besides the view coming in, I think, you know, the work that's being done at the point Arts Landing, you know, it's going to be something that anchors downtown for a number of years, Market Square as well.

All of those projects are coming together just in the nick of time.

So weather hopefully cooperates for the next two weeks.

But I think those things are our activity spaces that are going to be active far beyond the Draft for decades.

In Pittsburgh, where we're going to host events and concerts and be gathering spaces for Pittsburghers.

You know, the biggest thing for us is this is our Draft.

This is about Pittsburgh being Pittsburgh and having our residents take part in it.

We just don't want people from out of town coming.

We want Pittsburghers to be the ambassadors to tell why they love our city.

And if you're coming in and you've never been here before, ask a Pittsburgh or why he or she lives here.

And I think that's the momentum and the pride that we all have.

And now it's our chance to tell that story.

Face to face.

That's something unique.

What are some of the special thing our museums are performing arts, our visual arts?

How are we going to showcase what makes Pittsburgh Pittsburgh?

How do we turn those visitor you're mentioning into residents in the future?

Yeah, I mean, I think the number one thing is to to tell those stories that we have them here.

You know, look at the Children's Museum, number one children's museum in the country, Heinz History Center.

Same thing.

Number one museum, I think, now three years in a row.

History museum.

Like, we have all of this great arts and culture and also tell a different story about Pittsburgh.

Yeah, we understand that there are hills and there's some tough spots, but most of downtown, the Strip District, the North Shore, when you get into neighborhoods, it's relatively walkable.

You know, tell that other story that that even Pittsburghers, we sometimes don't realize that hey, you know, it's a ten minute walk through downtown and you can see all this great stuff.

So I think, you know, changing our momentum internally as well as externally is going to be so beneficial to all of us.

And you mentioned what we would do after the Draft.

I think using arts and culture in our rec centers, providing that art and culture that we have here at our rec center on a Thursday night so a kid can learn about the symphony, can learn about, you know, various artists that grew up in Pittsburgh, and then they are exposed to the opportunities we have.

A couple blocks away, but just might not have the means to get to those opportunities.

You'd like to do some programing for the rec centers in the evening?

Evening, definitely evening.

Would be somethin that we haven't done in a while, and it also now amplifies the reason that we want you to choos Pittsburgh to raise your family.

Because if we are able to activate those spaces that sit vacant at nigh for again, mention arts, the zoo the whatever, science center, you name them, we have all these great things, but we never use them.

Kind of like satellite to go into the neighborhood more and building those partnerships for, you know, our residents, but also to talk about what these great anchor tenants are.

And they've been here for decades in Pittsburgh.

So for me, it's it's promoting those, not just as you said, it's not just football here.

We have a lot to offer and we have to continue to do that.

Can we make Pittsburgh the best place in America to raise a family?

I'm hoping that's that's the goal.

I think you know, being in my position with a four year old and a two year old, you know, my wife and I, we walk our kids throughout not only our neighborhood but other neighborhoods and go to the Strip on the weekends and, and see different places and expose our kids to all the activities around Pittsburgh.

Now, I have the unique ability to do that because I know of a lot of those events.

So we have to be a good partner in government to talk about those opportunities for our kids, whether it's on a website, a mail or a flier or whatever it might be.

Tell everybody what's happening in their neighborhoods, because there's a lot going on.

Sometimes we don't do a good enough job of telling that story.

The Three Rivers Arts Festiva will be here before you know it.

It was a multi-day affair earlier.

Now, how do you see that tradition of the arts festival continuing to evolve and and grow here?

I think now having an anchor space at Arts Landing, I think makes it makes it very unique.

And it's now set up for just that.

There's, you know, a little amphitheater set up.

It's walkable.

It's right along the rivers.

It's connecting to all other locations.

As you know, living here for a long time, we just hope it doesn't rain for the arts festival because that's usually what happens.

So, you know, outside of that, we, we want to bring in thousands of people and we have the ability to do it.

And I think, you know, hostin the Draft shows that we can host major events, and it puts us on the world stage to host other events in the future and puts us in the running that these people had a great unique experience in Pittsburgh.

Why aren't you hosting your major convention or event in Pittsburgh, and you figured out working with the railroads to paint our trestles downtown?

They look great.

That was a fun project.

Actually, my chief of staff, Dan Gilman, we were just driving through before we even took office and said, you know, can we get these painted?

We're like, yeah, why don't we get these painted?

So I had a meeting with the railroad, they cooperated and we had a number of companies and local nonprofits chip in to pay for that.

And I think it's just it's the details.

And we were just actually in the Strip for lunch toda before coming to this interview.

And somebody who works in the West End said, hey, I really like you painted those.

And it's those small things that catch your eye.

But we also have to do a good job of talking about those things.

As the mayor, you can never be down on your city.

You've got to turn it around and talk about the positive things that are constantly happening.

One thing that's with you every day about your father, Bob O'Connor, the people's mayor.

What sticks with you on a daily basis?

Yeah, I mean, he taught me a lot.

Obviously, it's it's hard for just one thing.

Obviously, redding up is a big one, but I think he always said that, you know, your number one priority is the people of Pittsburgh.

And you know, you work for them.

They are the customer.

You are, You are trying to put out a good product so that they are happy with the neighborhood they live in and they don't regret it.

And I think building a city for the future with families first is something that, you know, we we grew up in my mom's house that she grew up in.

So I think there's a lot of Pittsburgh history ther that I took in every single day.

Last question.

What's one lasting impression you want the Draft to leave about Pittsburgh's identity as a cultural city?

Yeah.

I mean, I think first it's the surprise that you don't you don't know how much we actually have, but to go and say, wow, Pittsburgh has a lot to offer when it comes to arts and culture that I didn't think of.

I'm going to go back and explore it even further and tell your friends about it.

And, you know, I think that's something that we're going to get a big bonus from this is people that have never been here are going to go home to wherever they're from and say, you know what?

That city shocked me.

It's got a lot to offer.

Why is Pittsburgh not on my radar?

And I think that's our message, is why isn't Pittsburgh on your radar?

And it should be.

Mayor Corey OConnor, thank yo for this wonderful conversation.

And thank you for the great work you're doing for the city of Pittsburgh.

Yeah, no, thank you, an thank you for saving me a drive.

You came to the office.

It was nice.

Thank you.

It's a real joy.

Yeah.