Indianapolis To Host 2012 Super Bowl

ATLANTA -- Indianapolis will host the Super Bowl in 2012.

NFL owners voted to hold the game in Indy Tuesday afternoon after hearing presentations from Glendale, Ariz., and Houston. Indianapolis narrowly lost a bid to host the game in 2011.

An ecstatic Colts owner Jim Irsay said he believed the city would go a great job hosting the NFL's biggest event.

"All the Colts fans, all our citizens of our city and state -- they should be celebrating tonight, really feeling good about themselves," Irsay said.

"As a Colts fan, I'm thrilled. As a citizen of Indiana, I'm proud," said Gov. Mitch Daniels. "This cements our state's reputation as a sports and big events capital."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said owners were blown away by the enthusiasm and planning that went into Indianapolis' bid, along with the strength of the organization's public-private partnership.

"They did a terrific job as a community of putting together an outstanding bid," Goodell said. "All of the bids were outstanding, but you could see the quality of this bid and the enthusiasm of the community."

"It's the culmination of a long journey and a dream," said Colts president Bill Polian.

Members of the Indianapolis Super Bowl Bid Committee were quietly optimistic about the city's chances of landing the big game prior to their presentation Tuesday afternoon.

Key components of Indianapolis' bid include Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts' new home, and the city's accessible downtown area.

The city's plan includes a Super Bowl village, which would be within a square mile in the heart of downtown.

"Participating teams not having to drive and travel a lot to get to their complexes where they'll be practicing before the game, as well as everyone being downtown and hotel rooms being connected -- big things," Irsey said.

The bid also highlighted Indianapolis' $1.1 billion airport, a Friday night party at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and a Saturday night concert on Monument Circle before the big game.

Five people chosen by the bid committee delivered Indianapolis' presentation in person. A couple of weeks ago, the committee used eighth-graders from all over central Indiana hand-deliver binders full of information about Indianapolis' bid to team owners.

Indianapolis officials said they want the game to leave a lasting legacy. Part of the proposal includes a Super Bowl training facility at Arsenal Tech High School that would become a recreational center for children on the east side long after the game is over.

"You want to have something that affects the community for years to come," Irsay said. "This is about ... helping our city and state and connecting the whole community."

City Leaders Pleased With Successful Bid

With the Super Bowl expected to bring $120 million to Indianapolis, leaders said they are overjoyed to learn the city had won the bid.

"This was a sensational score for downtown and all of Indianapolis and really for the entire state," said Tamara Zahn, president of Indianapolis Downtown Inc.

Mayor Greg Ballard thanked last year's committee, commissioned by former Mayor Bart Peterson, for building the groundwork that led to this year's successful bid.

"We always knew we could host a Super Bowl," said Bob Schultz, of the Indianapolis Convention and Visitor's Association. "Now the rest of the country is seeing that we're going to host a Super Bowl. It does raise the profile. ... This is the pinnacle."