The decision of where to hold the NFL Experience for Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium has "yet to be made," according to Lisa Fickenscher of CRAIN'S N.Y. BUSINESS. New York/New Jersey '14 Super Bowl Host Committee CEO Al Kelly said, "We are in the midst of scouting a bunch of possibilities on both sides of the Hudson. It's possible that it's not in New York City." The largest event space in N.Y. is the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, which is "already booked, hosting the New York International Gift Fair and the International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition during the weeks leading up to and during Super Bowl XLVIII." One "obvious New Jersey candidate is the long-delayed Xanadu retail and entertainment complex at the Meadowlands." But N.Y. Tourism Bureau Chief George Fertitta said that he is "suggesting all sorts of alternative sites in the city." The one option "he's against" is bumping the trade shows (CRAIN'S N.Y. BUSINESS, 2/5).
SUPER RETURN TO SOUTH FLORIDA? In Miami, Terrell Forney noted Ft. Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau President Nicki Grossman is "part of the team trying to lure the 2016" Super Bowl back to Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens. The '16 Super Bowl is the "next available slot that selected cities would be allowed to place bids." Grossman said, "It's the 50th anniversary of the NFL, of Super Bowl, it's the 50th anniversary of the Miami Dolphins and [it's] really the perfect time to bring that game back to its real home in South Florida" (LOCAL10.com, 2/6). In Ft. Lauderdale, Gary Stein writes the "whole idea of tax money going for this bothers me." A Super Bowl is "fun for the area, and certainly gives South Florida plenty of publicity." But a couple of "hundred million in public money for renovations seems a lot to pay to get an image boost" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 2/7).
HOPEFUL SITES: ESPN.com's Bill Williamson noted as Indianapolis wrapped up its first Super Bowl week, Denver officials "will wonder if they will ever get their chance to host the event the Denver Broncos have wanted to host for so long." But Denver "might never get the chance Indianapolis just received" because of the weather. The city was "rocked by more than two feet of snow on Thursday and Friday," and the NFL could "look at the storm of 2012 and use that as evidence that a Super Bowl in Denver will not fly" (ESPN.com, 2/6). Meanwhile, in Seattle, Nick Eaton noted the Seahawks "recently submitted initial paperwork to the NFL expressing interest in hosting the Big Game at CenturyLink Field" (SEATTLEPI.com, 2/6).
