Super Bowl bonanza could sway backers to ante up again
April 18th, 2008, 12:48 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Donna Hogan
The huge $500 million windfall from Super Bowl XLII may help the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee sell Valley backers on financing the next one, said Mike Kennedy, committee chairman.
The bid for the 2012 game is in. The group gets to pitch it in person to the NFL next week in New York. We’ll know in late May if they sold it well.
But if the Valley gets the nod, persuading local businesses and municipalities it’s worth the investment — $17 million for Super Bowl XLII, something more than that for a future event — is next on the committee’s agenda.
The big boost for local businesses — 25 percent more than anticipated — should help loosen pursestrings.
“Going forward this is something we’ll want to tout,” Kennedy said. “It was the highest ever (Super Bowl economic impact). A half-billion dollars — that kind of payday is not easy to come by.”
Besides money, the committee needs hotel rooms.
Valley hoteliers will have to agree to save 19,000 of them for four days to house Super Bowl teams, sponsors, organizers and fans.
A week ago, Valley Hotel and Resort Association CEO Debbie Johnson said 15,000 have been committed and getting the remainder shouldn’t be a problem.
The Valley currently has more than 53,000 hotel rooms and another 4,000 to 5,000 are under construction or planned to be before 2012.
Some hoteliers thought they should get higher prices for rooms during the last Super Bowl, but were restricted by the NFL’s contract limiting them to typical high season rates.
Johnson said that issue will be addressed if the Valley lands a future game.
