NFL Draft 2016 returns to Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) -- NFL Draft 2016 will be held in Chicago at the end of April, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Tuesday.

The NFL Draft 2016 and NFL Draft Town will be held April 28-30 at Grant Park. It's the second time the NFL Draft will be held in Chicago after a 50-year run in New York.

"It was an off the charts success," Marc Ganis of Sportscorp said.

"The success of last year's Draft and our high expectations for the 2016 Draft, Chicago continues to raise the bar for future Drafts," Goodell said.

In 2015, more than 200,000 football fans attended the NFL Draft festivities, which included the three-day NFL Draft Town, youth clinics, and community programs. Chicago officials said the economic impact was $81.6 million.

Mayor Emanuel said he lobbied the NFL hard and sent the commissioner an aerial photo of a packed Grant Park during the 2015 Draft.

"We set out to make the NFL draft a national event," Mayor Emanuel said.

After NFL Draft 2016, the league plans to open up a bidding process for other cities who want to host.

"We'll be prepared to bid," Choose Chicago CEO Don Welsh said.