As reprinted from 01/28/2008
Until coin toss, most Super money will be tossed to E.V.
The Valley’s super week is here, and it’s time to welcome the New Yorkers, the Bostonians and fans from everywhere else who love the world’s greatest sports extravaganza.
About half of the 150,000 people expected to flock here to soak up the Super Bowl atmosphere will have game tickets. But don’t expect anyone to rush over to Glendale.
The game won’t be played until Sunday. For the rest of the week, the New England Patriots and the New York Giants will practice in Tempe and will sleep at resorts in Scottsdale and the Gila River Indian Community.
In fact, this side of town will be the focus of the pre-game day celebrations: the parties, the celebrities, the chance to brush up against sports legends and has-beens that fans love to hate. That’s why every sports channel and many news shows will set up camp somewhere in downtown Scottsdale. And that’s why Scottsdale and Tempe will close off their downtown streets this weekend. When it comes to the action before the Super Bowl, the real excitement will be in our backyard.
And what do everyday Valley residents get out of this, since they’re not going to be allowed anywhere near the game? Well, the $400 million that our visitors are expected to inject into the economy will be a nice stimulus package. And there’s been a few other goodies, too.
Just on Friday, the credit card company Visa and State Treasurer Dean Martin announced they will hand out a free video game to every public high school intended to teach students to be moneywise: sort of a Super Bowling-for-dollars theme.
Finally, with the Patriots looking to set a unique record with a perfect 19-0 season, all of us can say we witnessed history from the best seat in the house. We certainly won’t tell anyone that it was in front of a giant plasma television at the neighborhood Super Bowl party.
About half of the 150,000 people expected to flock here to soak up the Super Bowl atmosphere will have game tickets. But don’t expect anyone to rush over to Glendale.
The game won’t be played until Sunday. For the rest of the week, the New England Patriots and the New York Giants will practice in Tempe and will sleep at resorts in Scottsdale and the Gila River Indian Community.
In fact, this side of town will be the focus of the pre-game day celebrations: the parties, the celebrities, the chance to brush up against sports legends and has-beens that fans love to hate. That’s why every sports channel and many news shows will set up camp somewhere in downtown Scottsdale. And that’s why Scottsdale and Tempe will close off their downtown streets this weekend. When it comes to the action before the Super Bowl, the real excitement will be in our backyard.
And what do everyday Valley residents get out of this, since they’re not going to be allowed anywhere near the game? Well, the $400 million that our visitors are expected to inject into the economy will be a nice stimulus package. And there’s been a few other goodies, too.
Just on Friday, the credit card company Visa and State Treasurer Dean Martin announced they will hand out a free video game to every public high school intended to teach students to be moneywise: sort of a Super Bowling-for-dollars theme.
Finally, with the Patriots looking to set a unique record with a perfect 19-0 season, all of us can say we witnessed history from the best seat in the house. We certainly won’t tell anyone that it was in front of a giant plasma television at the neighborhood Super Bowl party.