In October the NFL announced that San Francisco and South Florida were the two finalists for the 2016 Super Bowl bid. If San Francisco doesn’t win the bid for the 50th Super Bowl, they will compete with Houston to host the 51st Super Bowl the following year.
First we must observe that the South Florida organization must raise a staggering, $21 million to host the event. Also meaning the cost of hosting the milestone game could be double the amount as last time the NFL championship came to Miami Gardens.
So how much money would it cost taxpayers in the bay area for this very same super bowl?
Look at it from a business perspective. With over 100 billion viewers each year for the last decade, how much business will the Super Bowl attract, between hotels, taxis and Super Bowl memorabilia?
According to Jan Freitag, a senior executive at hotel industry tracker STR, who gives Hotel Check-In readers the scoop on hotel rates once a quarter.
“San Francisco is such a hot leisure and meetings market that its group room rates increased by nearly 10%,” Freitag said. “Rates are increasing so much that travelers are looking across the Bay Bridge to Oakland and south, to San Jose, for more affordable accommodations.”
Since the game is likely to be held in the new Santa Clara $1.2 billion stadium expected to open in time for the 2014 season according to the city of Santa Clara construction schedule. Fans will have to take the same measures to see the game at a relatively affordable price.
According to Nicki Grossman, tourism director and a member of the organizing committee, the South Florida group expects the overall tab to hit about $21 million, which is less than the $25 million cited by rival San Francisco as its fundraising goal for the 2016 game.
The event takes on a new identity, as more than just a game. Its a business after all right? The amount of money being thrown around and the politics that is involve can really open the eyes of hopeful owners awaiting the next bid entry for a Super Bowl 52.
“We have the hotel rooms, we have the hospitality, we have the transportation network, we have the businesses, the community support, the philanthropic support to do this right and do this well,” San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said.
As a strategic effort South Florida’s Super Bowl Bid Committee recruited past Miami Dolphin greats, such as Bob Griese, Jason Taylor and Dan Marino.
No shock that, Team CEO Jed York added Former quarterback Steve Young and coach George Seifert are joining the San Francisco Bay Area regional bid committee.
The San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl committee will send its final bid package to the NFL on May 7 and will travel to Boston to make a presentation to the league’s owners on May 21.