Penske Says Detroit Budget Problems Will Not Hurt Super Bowl

Penske Says That City Of Detroit’s Budget Problems Will Not Affect Super Bowl

Detroit Super Bowl XL Host Committee Chair Roger Penske said that the city of Detroit’s budget problems should not “have any effect on the city’s ability to host [the] Super Bowl,” according to John Gallagher of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. Penske noted that “almost all the money needed” for the Super Bowl effort “comes from outside the city’s budget, mostly from corporate sponsorships.” Penske said, “We’ve got a strong private sector, we’ve a big business community, and the companies that are headquartered in Detroit certainly carry a lot of weight in seeing what would take place at an event like this.” Penske, who also owns an IRL team, added that he would “deliver a pro-Detroit message in person” at the Indy 500 on May 29. Meanwhile, Penske said that the NFL is “close to signing a deal with the Pontiac Silverdome to serve as the site of the league’s AFC practice site during the week leading up to the Super Bowl.” NFL VP/Special Events Frank Supovitz said that the NFL will install FieldTurf in the Silverdome for the practice week, which will be donated to a local high school after the Super Bowl. Gallagher notes the Silverdome will also host “a number of youth-oriented events held by the NFL during Super Bowl week” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/17).