Steelers give slumping Pittsburgh a boost

At the same time, Pittsburgh has lost half of its population - from 677,000 in 1950 to about 328,000 today. Democratic Mayor Tom Murphy, who announced recently that he won't seek reelection, has long maintained that the city's tax structure is outdated.

Many others blame overzealous spending habits that haven't changed, in part, because of union influence. "They want to keep the same levels of employment ... that were there 50 years ago when the city was twice the size," says Eric Montarti, a policy analyst at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy, a conservative think tank.

Pittsburgh's plight is not unlike those of Buffalo, Cleveland, and Detroit, marked by aging populations, an exodus of young people, and deserted urban cores. A politically fragmented region has added to its troubles. With more than 400 municipalities, the Pittsburgh area faces a "serious sprawl and abandonment problem," says Mark Muro, a senior policy analyst at the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program.

This year has brought additional woes. Massive flooding this fall destroyed businesses and homes throughout the region. Two downtown department stores closed. And troubles at US Airways, which employs many in the region, also loom.

As such, the Steelers have provided something of an escape - just as they did in the '70s. "The Steelers don't bring jobs, but they boost the morale," says Pete Flaherty, mayor of Pittsburgh from 1970 to 1977. "[The Super Bowl wins] gave the city a lift."

That's just what Patti DeSano needs right now. The fall flood inflicted thousands of dollars of damage at the flower shop in Etna, a local borough, where the floral designer works.

"It's a way for you to pretend everything is OK for one day," says Ms. DeSano, a lifelong Steelers fan.

Even as the national debate over the economic benefits of stadiums rages on, among the most visible changes to this city's landscape are a new baseball stadium and football field.

"This whole town has come together," says Vazquez, who recently opened Black & Gold Forever downtown. Its windows, a festive homage to the Steelers, stand in contrast to an empty Lazarus-Macy's department store across the street.

Still, Pittsburgh is far from the "Smoky City" of the 19th century, when writer James Parton described it as "hell with the lid off."

For many at least, the city still entices with its picturesque incline railways that slide down the city's valley walls. Visitor Norton Gustavson, who lives in Missouri but is selling Steelers paraphernalia along Route 65 in a makeshift shop of plastic tenting, says he expected something grittier of Pittsburgh. "I love the old houses."

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