Why Did They Cancel Pittsburgh Regatta?

The Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta, a tradition in the city of Pittsburgh for over four decades, has been canceled days before its scheduled start. The company hired to organize the event misled the events board and the city about payments, insurance, and other details, forcing organizers to cancel the weekend-long festival. Officials announced at a press conference that the company behind this year’s canceled event owes sponsors and service providers nearly 750,000 and is moving to have that debt cleared. The board plans to pursue all legal means and launch an investigation into LionHeart Event Group.

The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to similar issues with obtaining finances and COVID-19 concerns. The blame for this cancellation lies solely with LionHeart, said Charles Scholz, a member of the regattas board and an attorney. The 2019 edition of the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta has been canceled just a few days before one of the city’s most eagerly anticipated annual events. Attorney Charles Scholz told reporters Tuesday that the EQT Three Rivers Regatta promoter LionHeart Event Group hadn’t secured proper permits or…

Why is Pittsburgh called Three Rivers?

If cities were alive, rivers would be their arteries. Since time immemorial, rivers have been the lifeblood of civilization. The greatest cities in the world are all built on rivers. The area around the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia is known as the “Cradle of Civilization”. This is the area believed to be the cite where nomads first settled.

In Pittsburgh, we owe the existence of our own city to its three rivers: The Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio. But what was here before the skyscrapers of glass and steel?

Before the last Ice Age, the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers flowed north, emptying into Lake Erie. When encroaching glaciers blocked the southern shore of Lake Erie, jamming it with ice, the streams and rivers flowing into it backed up. As the glaciers receded and the ice melted, an area accustomed to a harsh freeze-thaw cycle experienced its most intense one ever. Land that was once buried under the weight of tons of ice thawed, expanded, and rose 350 feet. This ridge of higher land formed just south of Lake Erie, causing the streams and rivers south of it to flow toward Pittsburgh.

Early Human Habitation. Artifacts found at the Meadowcroft Rockshelter, a massive rock overhang in Washington County (used by some of the area’s earliest inhabitants for shelter) provides clues as to what life was like here 16,000 years ago. Meadowcroft is situated on a tributary of the Ohio River and is the oldest known site of human habitation in North America. It was discovered in 1955, but it wasn’t until 1973 that professional excavation began.

What is the Three Rivers Regatta in Pittsburgh?

By exploring the Regatta’s fascinating history, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the excitement, athleticism, and community spirit that have defined this waterfront extravaganza since its earliest days in 1978. This Pittsburgh flagship event has continued to evolve over time, captivating and inspiring visitors from all around the world.

We are thrilled to announce the comeback of the Three Rivers Regatta in 2025.

So come join the fun, and discover the timeless appeal of one of Pittsburgh’s most thrilling summertime traditions!

Is Pittsburgh still declining?

Overall, Pittsburgh’s population has decreased by 2,010 people since 2010.

Chris Briem, regional economist at Pitt’s Center for Social and Urban Research, said that drop is likely attributed to a decline in the population of incarcerated individuals housed in the city. The Allegheny County Jail has lowered its population over the years and SCI Pittsburgh state penitentiary closed in 2017.

He said factoring drops in prison and jail populations shows the overall city population has remained basically the same for over a dozen years.

Where in Pittsburgh do the 3 rivers come together?

PITTSBURGH — One of the unique features of Pittsburgh’s landscape is its three rivers. The Allegheny River and Monongahela River united at Point State Park to form the Ohio River.

Why did the Pittsburgh Regatta end?

The questionable websites harken back to shady dealings that led to the last-minute cancellation of the 2019 Regatta. According to a September 2019 CP story, LionHeart Event Group, a former Pittsburgh-based company in charge of organizing the Regatta, failed to acquire insurance and the necessary permits for the event. As a result, the Regatta board and local law enforcement “quickly launched investigations of potential criminal wrongdoings on the part of LionHeart,” which filed for bankruptcy with “between $500,000 and $1 million in liabilities.”

Boat racers at the 2016 EQT Three Rivers Regatta CP Photo: Stephen Caruso” click to enlarge.

CP reached out to city and county officials about whether or not permits and other required documents were filed for the 2024 Regatta.Brent Wasko, the public information officer for the Allegheny County Department of Public Works, wrote in an email that “DPW would only receive a permit request if a county-owned bridge or road was going to be used, and we have not received any permit requests for this. In the past, Point State Park, the North Shore, and the rivers (obviously) were used for this event. So, I assume the City of Pittsburgh, (Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources), and the Coast Guard were involved.”

Why did people leave Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh has regularly lost population since the 1980s collapse of the city’s steel industry, which caused thousands of residents to lose their jobs and relocate elsewhere in search of work.

According to recent U.S. Census Bureau data, Pittsburgh metro now has 303,207 inhabitants — down from a peak of around 677,000 in the 1950s.

Most of the city’s population, 64%, is White, followed by 24% Black and 6% Asian, with the rest of the residents comprising small percentages of other racial and ethnic groups. Women make up the majority of Pittsburgh’s population, which is 51.9% female and 48.9% male.

When did Pittsburgh get the H back?

July 19, 1911 In 1911, after a big effort by the mayor, the city council and the postmaster in Pittsburgh, a hearing was demanded to get the name formally changed. On July 19, 1911, the government agreed and formally returned the “h” to Pittsburgh.

WEBVTT DAVID: HAPPY “H” DAY!SO IF I WERE TO WISH YOU A HAPPY”H” DAY, WOULD YOU HAVE ANY IDEAWHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT? NOPE.DAVID: CONFUSESO ARE MOST OUT-OF-TOWNERS WHOSEEM TO ALWAYS FORGET THE LETTER”H” AT THE END OF PITTSBURGH. IF I WOULD WRITE IT, I’DPROBABLY GET IT BUT INMY HEAD,I DIDN’T. IN PITTSBURGH’S MIND, THE “H”HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF OURHISTORY.DAVID: PITTSBURGH WAS NAMEDAFTER WILLIAM PITT, A FORMERPRIME MINISTER OF GREAT BRITAIWHO HAD SCOTTISH ROOTS WHERE THERE IS USUALLY AN “H” AT THE ENDOF “BURGH.”TO PAY RESPECT TO PITT AND HISROOTS, THE TOWN KEPT THE LETTER.JAMES HILL WORKS IN THE MAYOR’SOFFICE. IT WAS ALWAYS OUR IDEA ANDOUR BELIEF THAT THE “H” WAS PART OF OUR HISTORY BECAUSE ITWAS PART OF WILLIAM PITT’SHISTORY.DAVID: BUT IN 1816 IN THE CITY’SOFFICIAL CHARTER, WHOEVER WROTETHE DOCUMENT MADE AN OLD-SCHOOTYPO. THE “H” IS ACCIDENTALLY LEFTOFF THE WORD PITTSBURGH IN THEDOCUMENT.DAVID: IN EVERY CITY ORDINANCEAND DOCUMENT, THE TOWN KEPT THE”H,” BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTDIDN’T.IN 1890, THE U.S. GEOGRAPHICALBOARD WANTED UNIFORMITY IN TOWNNAMES WIT BURG AND TOOK THE “H”FROM PITTSBURGH, CITING THE TYPOIN THE INCORPORATION DOCUMENT. THEY MADE A MISTAKE, IT WASAN ABSOLUTE ACCIDENT, AND THEYUSED THAT AS THEIR EVIDENCE TOSNATCH IT FROM US IN 189DAVID: IN THE PORTICO OF THE OLDPENSYLVANIAN TRAIN STATIONDOWNTOWN, YOU CAN SEE PITTSBURGHWITHOUT THE “HSINCE IT WAS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT THAT DROPPED THE “H,”THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES DID TOO.FINALLY JULY 19,1911, 106 YEARS AGO TODAY, AFTERCOUNCIL, THE MAYOR AND THEPOSTMASTER KEPT PETITIONING TOGET THE “H” BACK, PITTSBURDID FOREVER.A LETTER DOES NOT MAKE A CITY.

Happy ‘H’ Day! A celebration of how Pittsburgh ISN’T Pittsburg.

On July 19, 1911, the U.S. government ruled Pittsburgh could keep its last letter.

Why did Pitt get rid of their stadium?

By the mid-1990s, it was apparent that Pitt Stadium needed further renovations to keep up with the times. When the cost of the needed renovations proved prohibitive, athletic director Steve Pederson decided to demolish the stadium and replace it with a long-awaited convocation center and basketball arena on its footprint.

The final game at Pitt Stadium took place on November 13, 1999, when the Panthers defeated Notre Dame 37–27. The final touchdown in Pitt Stadium was scored by Kevan Barlow at 7:06 pm, just minutes prior to fans rushing onto the field. Some of the 60,190spectators—the largest crowd in 16years—ran onto the field with nine seconds remaining in the game, tearing down both goal posts and removing pieces of turf. The Panthers played their home games of the 2000 season at Three Rivers Stadium, before moving to Heinz Field in 2001. Demolition of Pitt Stadium began in December 1999. Concrete from the stadium was ground and left on site for use in the Petersen Events Center and student housing which was built at the site; construction began in June 2000 and the Petersen Events Center opened up in April 2002.

The Pitt Pavilion, located beneath the ramps inside Gate 2 of Pitt Stadium, was the home of the Panthers basketball team from January 6, 1925 (with a loss to Geneva College) to February 26, 1951 with a Backyard Brawl victory. The Pavilion contained both permanent and temporary bleachers for a capacity of approximately 4,000 spectators. However, with only one dressing room, visiting teams were forced to use the visitors’ football locker room to dress and then walk 60-yards outdoors to get to the basketball court. Future coach John Wooden and Notre Dame’s Moose Krause were basketball stars that played against the Panthers at the Pavilion. While there, the Panthers themselves featured several All-Americans, including Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Charlie Hyatt, and recorded the school’s only undefeated season in 1928. On February 26, 1951, the Panthers won the final game at the Pavilion, defeating rival West Virginia 74-72 on a last-second shot by Scott Phillips, his only points in the game. The basketball team moved to the Fitzgerald Field House for the 1951-52 season. The Pavilion also hosted WPIAL playoff games and pre-season games of the American Basketball League’s Pittsburgh Rens. The Pitt Pavilion was removed in 1994 when ground was broken for the stadium’s Duratz Athletic Complex.

Why did the British rename it Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh is named after William Pitt, a former prime minister of England who had Scottish roots. When Pittsburgh was named, it was to pay respect to both Pitt and his Scottish heritage.

WEBVTT DAVID: HAPPY “H” DAY!SO IF I WERE TO WISH YOU A HAPPY”H” DAY, WOULD YOU HAVE ANY IDEAWHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT? NOPE.DAVID: CONFUSESO ARE MOST OUT-OF-TOWNERS WHOSEEM TO ALWAYS FORGET THE LETTER”H” AT THE END OF PITTSBURGH. IF I WOULD WRITE IT, I’DPROBABLY GET IT BUT INMY HEAD,I DIDN’T. IN PITTSBURGH’S MIND, THE “H”HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF OURHISTORY.DAVID: PITTSBURGH WAS NAMEDAFTER WILLIAM PITT, A FORMERPRIME MINISTER OF GREAT BRITAIWHO HAD SCOTTISH ROOTS WHERE THERE IS USUALLY AN “H” AT THE ENDOF “BURGH.”TO PAY RESPECT TO PITT AND HISROOTS, THE TOWN KEPT THE LETTER.JAMES HILL WORKS IN THE MAYOR’SOFFICE. IT WAS ALWAYS OUR IDEA ANDOUR BELIEF THAT THE “H” WAS PART OF OUR HISTORY BECAUSE ITWAS PART OF WILLIAM PITT’SHISTORY.DAVID: BUT IN 1816 IN THE CITY’SOFFICIAL CHARTER, WHOEVER WROTETHE DOCUMENT MADE AN OLD-SCHOOTYPO. THE “H” IS ACCIDENTALLY LEFTOFF THE WORD PITTSBURGH IN THEDOCUMENT.DAVID: IN EVERY CITY ORDINANCEAND DOCUMENT, THE TOWN KEPT THE”H,” BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTDIDN’T.IN 1890, THE U.S. GEOGRAPHICALBOARD WANTED UNIFORMITY IN TOWNNAMES WIT BURG AND TOOK THE “H”FROM PITTSBURGH, CITING THE TYPOIN THE INCORPORATION DOCUMENT. THEY MADE A MISTAKE, IT WASAN ABSOLUTE ACCIDENT, AND THEYUSED THAT AS THEIR EVIDENCE TOSNATCH IT FROM US IN 189DAVID: IN THE PORTICO OF THE OLDPENSYLVANIAN TRAIN STATIONDOWNTOWN, YOU CAN SEE PITTSBURGHWITHOUT THE “HSINCE IT WAS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT THAT DROPPED THE “H,”THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES DID TOO.FINALLY JULY 19,1911, 106 YEARS AGO TODAY, AFTERCOUNCIL, THE MAYOR AND THEPOSTMASTER KEPT PETITIONING TOGET THE “H” BACK, PITTSBURDID FOREVER.A LETTER DOES NOT MAKE A CITY.

Happy ‘H’ Day! A celebration of how Pittsburgh ISN’T Pittsburg.

On July 19, 1911, the U.S. government ruled Pittsburgh could keep its last letter.

When did Pittsburgh decline?

During the decades following and especially after 1980, the population began to decrease so that the population as recorded in 2000 by the US Census Bureau was 343,600, or in other words almost half of what it was during Pittsburgh’s industrial heyday (Dietrich).

Why was the H removed from Pittsburgh?

According to information provided by the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, the h at the end of the word was inadvertently dropped during a printing of the act incorporating the city. The spelling Pittsburg was used for years, even by the United States Post Office. The motion pictures and documents presented in this online collection date from the Pittsburg period. The spelling Pittsburgh was officially restored in 1911.

In this online presentation, Pittsburgh is spelled both ways. When we quote an original document or present a film title as copyrighted in 1904, we use the spelling of the time: Pittsburg. The new texts we wrote in 1996 spell the name Pittsburgh.