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Stadium Watch Blog
Tim Nelson

Minnesota heading to NYC to make a pitch for the Super Bowl

Met LIfe Stadium, site of Super Bowl XVVII, to be played this weekend. (Flickr photo: picturesofyou)

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Gov. Mark Dayton said this morning he thinks the Super Bowl could give Minnesota a huge economic boost in 2018.

With that in mind, the governor and a team of Super Bowl backers are expected to travel to New York City this weekend to pitch the state to the NFL to host the big game that year.

"The Super Bowl in Indianapolis a couple of years ago brought $324 million to that city and that area," Dayton said at a press conference as he introduced the team he named to make a bid for the game. "And we expect more than that in 2018 if we're successful.

By attracting visitors from other states and countries, a Super Bowl likely would bring the Twin Cities nearly $500 million, said Dayton, who introduced Ecolab CEO Doug Baker and US Bank CEO Richard Davis as chairs of the event. Joining them will be former Carlson Cos. CEO Marilyn Carlson Nelson -- who helped lead the state's bid for the 1992 game.

Minneapolis and its under-construction stadium were named finalists for the 2018 Super Bowl in October, along with New Orleans and Indianapolis. The winner isn't expected to be named until this spring, but the Vikings and stadium officials are hoping to close the deal this weekend.

Their New York visit includes a Super Bowl eve reception at Il Gattopardo on 54th St. in Manhattan -- part of the so-called "Millionaire's Row" area and right behind the Museum of Modern Art.

"It'll include NFL dignitaries, Vikings ownership, Vikings front office, current and former players, as well as business partners and community leaders from Minnesota," Vikings vice president Lester Bagley said.

The bid includes a 190-page list of specifications for a host city. There is also a significant amount of money to raise. Bagley said Indianapolis raised $30 million to win the Super Bowl in 2012 and Dallas raised $40 million to host the game in 2011.

Meet Minneapolis CEO Melvin Tennant said that Minneapolis would host other events, like the NFL Experience at the Minneapolis Convention Center. He also said the Twin Cities has to demonstrate it has 19,000 hotel rooms for a four-night period around the game.