South Florida Pleased With Super Bowl, Considering Bid For '14

South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee Officials Consider Bid For Super Bowl XLVIII

South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee officials "couldn't have been more pleased with the past 10 days of football and celebration from the Pro Bowl to the Super Bowl," according to Talalay & Jicha of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. Committee Chair Rodney Barreto noted South Florida "set two NFL records: attendance for the Pro Bowl" and TV viewership for Sunday's Super Bowl XLIV. He added the weather was "fantastic," as it was "60 degrees and clear" at game time Sunday. Meanwhile, Barreto and Committee President Mike Zimmer "had a meeting Monday morning to work on South Florida's bid" for Super Bowl XLVIII in '14. Former NFLer Dick Anderson, Chair of the subcommittee exploring proposed stadium improvements for Sun Life Stadium, said that Host Committee members are "scheduled to meet Friday to continue studying whether the region wants to host future Super Bowls, and if so, whether Sun Life Stadium should undergo upgrades the NFL says will help keep the venue competitive" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 2/9). In South Florida, Bill Frogameni noted one possible way to "pay for stadium renovations is to use hotel bed taxes," but it is "too early at this point ... for the Dolphins to endorse any particular idea." Dolphins CEO Mike Dee: "Our position is, at this point, that we're going to leave no stone unturned." But Dee added that an "upgraded stadium would not have that significant of an economic impact" on the team. Dee: "From a Dolphins perspective, the upgrades aren't necessary." Still, Dee noted that the "benefits to the local economy from high-profile sporting events like the Super Bowl are significant." Barreto said Sunday's Super Bowl could bring "north of" $400M to the region, though some economists "dispute that high figure, placing it below" $100M (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/8).

LEARNING ON THE JOB: In Dallas, Jeff Mosier reports North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee officials "have begun analyzing the good and the bad from their trip to Florida" for Super Bowl XLIV. Committee VP & COO Tara Green said that "roundtable discussions of the South Florida experience will start this week." A "host committee meeting is scheduled for late February, too." Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert said that the region has "lots of venues, a massive network of highways and 'a stadium that's off the charts.'" Leppert indicated that "even being landlocked could be an advantage," as last week the South Florida coast "compressed traffic into a narrow corridor and led to traffic delays, though the trip to Sun Life Stadium was smooth and fast Sunday" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/9).