Key Takeaways
- The Pittsburgh Steelers are nearing completion on a youth sports facility at Hazelwood Green, funded by a $10 million grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation
- The 178-acre site sits directly across the Monongahela River from the Steelers’ UPMC Rooney Sports Complex
- The facility will include a full-size turf field, a 3,000-seat stadium, and a 10,000-square-foot indoor recreation building for year-round use
- Pittsburgh Central Catholic will use the stadium for its upcoming football season
- Girls’ flag football and youth football events currently held at the Rooney facility will move to the new location
A $10 Million Grant Funds a New Youth Sports Complex on a Former Steel Mill Site
The Pittsburgh Steelers are close to completing a new youth sports facility at Hazelwood Green, a 178-acre redevelopment site on the former LTV Steel Pittsburgh Works property along the Monongahela River. The facility, operated by Steelers Charities and branded with the Steelers logo, was funded by a $10 million construction grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
The site sits directly across the river from the team’s UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, giving the organization a connected footprint between its professional practice facility and a dedicated community sports venue. An official opening date has not been announced, though a soft opening had originally been targeted for spring 2026.
What the Facility Will Include
The outdoor component features a full-size turf field with a stadium capable of seating up to 3,000 spectators. A 10,000-square-foot building on site is being renovated for indoor sports and recreation, enabling year-round programming.
Steelers Charities plans to use the facility for youth football events, clinics with current and former players and coaches, and girls’ flag football programming currently hosted at the Rooney facility. The site will also have the capacity to host high school football games. Pittsburgh Central Catholic has committed to using the stadium for its upcoming season.
Community Access and Neighborhood Impact
The Hazelwood Cobras, a local youth football team, are among the organizations expected to benefit. Pittsburgh City Council member Barb Warwick confirmed the field’s community focus in comments to WTAE: “This field is going to be for youth sports, the Hazelwood Cobras, which are our local kids’ football team.”
The LTV Steel mill closed in 1998, and redevelopment of the Hazelwood Green site has moved slowly since. Tishman Speyer is overseeing the broader development of the property. Local business owners see the facility as a potential catalyst. Jason Short, owner of Abstract Realm Brewing next door, told WTAE the neighborhood “needs an injection of energy and business.”
What This Model Looks Like for Youth Sports
The project is worth tracking for the broader youth sports industry. Steelers Charities will operate the facility and control programming and branding, though developers have indicated that a separate company may handle day-to-day management and maintenance. The $10 million in philanthropic funding from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, rather than public tax dollars or private equity, offers one model for how professional sports organizations can fund youth infrastructure through charitable partnerships.
The facility was first announced in December 2023, received Pittsburgh Planning Commission approval in mid-2025, and is now nearing completion.
Source: Steelers Now, Ed Thompson, April 2026
Image: Steelers
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