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Indy Cautiously Optimistic About Super Bowl Bid

Committee: 2012 Could Be Indianapolis' Year

POSTED: 2:54 pm EDT May 19, 2008
UPDATED: 6:10 pm EDT May 19, 2008

Officials charged with putting together and presenting Indianapolis' bid to host the 2012 Super Bowl bid said they are cautiously optimistic about their chances on the eve of NFL owners' decision.

Indianapolis' bid committee spent Monday putting the final touches on the presentation it will give team owners on Tuesday, 6News' Julie Pursley reported.

Owners gathered in Buckhead, a ritzy suburb of Atlanta, Monday for owner meetings. A decision about which city will host the 2012 game is expected to be made Tuesday afternoon, shortly after the three cities vying for the game make 15-minute presentations.

The bid committee met with league officials Monday for some last-minute advice. Indianapolis will be first to present its case to team owners.

"We don't want to be overly excited, because we still have some decisions to make and we want to make a moving presentation but not come out of our shoes in doing so," said Mark Miles, chairman of the bid committee.

The presentation is expected to center around Lucas Oil Stadium, the state-of-the-art facility set to open this fall. The $750 million new home of the Indianapolis Colts could be the crown jewel that convinces the 32 NFL owners to spring for the city in 2012.

Committee members said they wouldn't even try to pitch the league's owners if it weren't for the new stadium.

"We think it's an exception facility. We think it will be seen as that," Miles said. "We think the league will recognize that our taxpayers put a lot of money into it and reward that model."

Indianapolis faces stiff competition from Houston and Glendale, Ariz., both of which have hosted the Super Bowl before, unlike Indy.

The committee plans to point to the city's successful track record hosting large events, such as the Indianapolis 500 and NCAA Final Four basketball tournament.

"What we've always done in Indianapolis, with our … events is … try to leave a legacy behind to the city -- to try to make sure it's not just an event that produces economic impact but an event that touches people's lives," said Jack Swarbrick, a member of the bid committee.

One of the highlights of Indianapolis' presentation is a Super Bowl village downtown in partnership with the NFL. Committee members think one of Indianapolis' selling points is a compact downtown area, which could warm NFL owners to the city's cold February weather.

"We've tried to incorporate into our bid that the league can reach hundreds of thousands of people and have them be part of the Super Bowl experience, even though they may not go to the game," Miles said. "It would be Times Square meets NFL for several days and run up until the game."

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