Las Vegas hosted its first Super Bowl on Sunday after decades of being ignored by pro sports. The National Football League already wants to do it again.
¡°The hospitality here, you outdid it,¡± NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at a news conference Monday morning. ¡°It¡¯s safe to say everyone looks forward to coming back.¡±
The first Super Bowl in Las Vegas, which saw the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the San Francisco 49ers in an overtime thriller, marks an important milestone for a city that¡¯s trying to become one of the world¡¯s sports capitals. Over the past eight years, it has been collecting sports franchises and events.
Even prior to the game, league officials were teasing that Las Vegas had earned a spot in the NFL¡¯s Super Bowl rotation, joining cities such as Miami and Phoenix. They pointed to the hospitality-laden Las Vegas Strip and its proximity to Allegiant Stadium, the home of the Las Vegas Raiders, as selling points.
Over Super Bowl week, the Strip¡¯s dozens of hotels and casinos hosted half-a-million visitors. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority expects that the big game created $500 million in economic impact for the area.
The Strip, which hosted its first Formula One race just a few months ago, buzzed with activity all week, with concert venues and nightclubs going all-out on their programming. Tables at some of these parties could go for more than $100,000.
Brands got in on the action. Fanatics Inc. hosted celebrities like Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian and Tom Brady in a club at the Cosmopolitan. Sports Illustrated had the Chainsmokers perform for a packed crowd at the Wynn. Hospitality company h.wood Group held a multi-night series of parties in a giant tent with Jack Harlow and Future ¡ª and it was all sponsored by Yum Brands¡¯ Taco Bell.
Goodell had his own Commissioner¡¯s Party, too, at the Wynn, hosting the likes of Raiders owner Mark Davis, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Peyton Manning.
Next season, football¡¯s biggest game will be played in New Orleans, another of the NFL¡¯s favorite spots.
¡°I believe we had a very successful Super Bowl week,¡± said Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo. ¡°The state of Louisiana and New Orleans have a high bar to get over now.¡±
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