NFL Draft Coming To Dallas In 2018

DALLAS, TX — ESPN reports the 2018 NFL draft will be held at AT&T stadium in Arlington. The three-day NFL Draft Experience festival will be held at the Dallas Cowboys' home stadium April 26-28. The 2018 draft will mark the first time in history that the draft will be held in an NFL stadium. The event will also mark the Draft's first visit to Texas.

The NFL Draft Experience festival will take place outside of the stadium during Draft days. The festival offers fans the chance to participate in drills, meet players, interact with exhibits and more. The NFL Draft theater will be constructed on the field, and the public will be allowed to watch the draft from a section of stadium seating.

Dallas was a strong contender for the draft in February, but the NFL warned it would not consider Texas as a draft location if House Bill 2899, Texas' "bathroom bill," passed. Stressing a mission of inclusion, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement that the bill would influence the league's decision.

Watch: NFL Draft Coming To Dallas In 2018

“If a proposal that is discriminatory or inconsistent with our values were to become law there, that would certainly be a factor considered when thinking about awarding future events,” McCarthy said in February.

HB 2899 failed to pass in Texas' special legislative session in August. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Dallas Patch, or click here to find your local Texas Patch. Also, if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Draft commissioner Roger Goodell told NFL owners at meetings in New York that Dallas affords the NFL an opportunity to grow the draft, according to ESPN.

"Philadelphia raised the bar by taking the draft to another level, and this new opportunity in Dallas will enable us to continue the event's evolution and grow it even further," Goodell said. "We are grateful to the Dallas Cowboys, the cities of Arlington, Dallas, and Frisco, and the Dallas Sports Commission for their leadership in turning this vision into reality."

Watch: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addresses 2018 Draft and National Anthem Controversy.

Read more on Patch:

• Mark Cuban: Mavs to play 'tribute to the flag' at Wednesday's game

Image via Associated Press/Tim Sharp