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Spectacular Bids: Atlanta, South Florida, L.A. Land Future Super Bowls

The NFL yesterday awarded the '19-21 Super Bowls to Atlanta, South Florida and L.A., and by funding a top-to-bottom renovation of the Dolphins' stadium, team Owner Stephen Ross "removed the last roadblock" that had kept the game away from the Miami region for what will be more than a decade, according to a front-page piece by Adam Beasley of the MIAMI HERALD. Dolphins President & CEO Tom Garfinkel said winning Super Bowl LIV in '20 is a "bit of a reward" for Ross. Beasley reports the vote "went exactly as expected," but there was "just enough drama to keep South Florida’s delegation sweating." Super Bowl LIII in '19 "was ultimately down to two finalists -- Atlanta and New Orleans -- and the vote surprisingly went to a fourth ballot." Atlanta "prevailed with a simple majority, and the South Florida delegation exploded in excited relief." New Orleans "wasn’t up for any game" except '19, so Atlanta's win made '20 a "contest between Miami and Tampa." Ross later said with a grin, "You make the choice" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/25). In Ft. Lauderdale, Craig Davis in a front-page piece reports Super Bowl LIV "will come during the NFL’s celebration of its 100th anniversary." Pro Football HOFer Larry Csonka, who made the presentation, said that he was "pushing to deliver" the '20 game to "put the NFL’s Centennial celebration in South Florida." Csonka: "Miami has the facilities to make it a festival. I think that’s going to happen with the Centennial game." South Florida's bid was laid out as a "week-long celebration with the focal point centered on Super Bowl Park in downtown Miami." All of the premier Super Bowl-related events and venues "will be based in Miami-Dade, including the NFL Experience, team hotels and media headquarters, due to stipulations" in a '14 agreement that pays a $4M bonus to the Dolphins "for bringing the big game to the stadium" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 5/25).

DESERVING OF PRAISE: In Miami, Linda Robertson writes Ross "deserves lots of credit for bringing our NFL-addicted nation’s biggest sporting event back to South Florida" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/25). In Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Hyde writes, "It's time to say something rarely said to sports owners and never when their teams lose like the Dolphins: Thank you." Ross deserves credit for "showing America's sports owners there's another way to do business" and for "delivering another big event to an area that loves big events" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 5/25). 

BACK WITH A VENGEANCE: In L.A., Sam Farmer in a front-page piece reports in L.A. defeated Tampa for Super Bowl LV in '21 after receiving a "super-majority consensus in the first round of voting." That means it "got at least 24 of 32 votes on the secret ballot." Although L.A. had "originally intended to bid on both" the '20 and '21 games, thereby "increasing its odds to host one, the city’s bid committee bowed out of the competition for the earlier game Tuesday and turned its attention" to '21 (L.A. TIMES, 5/25). ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure noted the '21 game "made the most sense from a logistical standpoint." Rams Owner Stan Kroenke: "You want it to be perfect, right? When you come back to L.A. after all those years, you want to be perfect. So I think an extra year might be good" (ESPN.com, 5/24). In L.A., Vincent Bonsignore in a front-page piece notes L.A. bid Chair Casey Wasserman and LA84 Foundation President & CEO Renata Simril delivered a 15-minute pitch on behalf of the city that "emphasized the sparkling state-of-the art Inglewood venue, the modernization and diversification of L.A. since the NFL last called it home, ample hotel space to embrace thousands of out-of-town fans and media members, and L.A.’s ability to accommodate and deliver a spectacular platform to showcase" the game (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 5/25). Bonsignore writes as Wasserman "nudged his way through all those bear hugs and handshakes" from the likes of Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, it was "pretty obvious the NFL is happy about that." Wasserman focused on "how much L.A. has changed over the last two decades and the stage, accommodations, Southern California vibe and endless entertainment options L.A. can offer." He said, "It’s a great time for Los Angeles, it really is" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 5/25).

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM? In Atlanta, Tim Tucker in a front-page piece reports owners "needed four ballots" to place Super Bowl LIII in Mercedes-Benz Stadium over three other bidders. South Florida and Tampa "were eliminated on the second ballot, leaving Atlanta vs. New Orleans." After "neither got the required" 75% on the third ballot, Atlanta "prevailed with a simple majority on the fourth." Several members of Atlanta’s bid committee said that they "provided the NFL with a 'fully funded' bid that budgets the local cost of hosting" Super Bowl LIII at $46M. The NFL’s decision to hold a third Super Bowl in Atlanta "capped a year-long effort by the bid committee and the Falcons to land the mega-event for the retractable-roof stadium." The decision also "marked a reversal of NFL votes a decade ago that rejected Atlanta bids" for the '09 and '10 Super Bowls. The bid focused on the "close proximity of the new stadium to other downtown attractions that didn’t exist when the Super Bowl was played at the Georgia Dome" in '94 and '00. Bid committee members said that they "got no questions from NFL owners Tuesday about the ice storm that paralyzed the city during Super Bowl week" in '00. Many owners "had cited that issue when voting against Atlanta" for the '09 and '10 games (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 5/25).  

MAYBE NEXT TIME
: In Tampa, Greg Auman notes it will be "at least 13 years between Super Bowls at Raymond James Stadium" after the city lost out in this round of bidding. Tampa Bay Sports Commission Exec Dir Rob Higgins said, "We knew we were a longshot in the process, with how competitive the finalist group was. ... While we're naturally disappointed in the decision, we remain undeterred in our pursuit of a fifth Super Bowl for our community." Auman writes Tampa's history as a Super Bowl host "couldn't match the allure of new stadiums." Raymond James Stadium is undergoing $100M in renovations, but those renovations "can't compete with new stadiums" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 5/25). Meanwhile, Saints Owner Tom Benson said that he "believes the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which has hosted seven Super Bowls, will host another one one day" despite losing yesterday. In New Orleans, Katherine Terrell notes although the venue is "currently undergoing upgrades to its video boards and suite areas this summer, it wasn't enough to break the trend of new stadiums receiving Super Bowls" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 5/25). 

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