Miami Seeks To Host 2016 Super Bowl

By Scott Blake
Miami planners are setting their sights on hosting the 2016 Super Bowl.

Rodney Barreto, chairman of the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee, said Tuesday the committee is preparing a push for Greater Miami to host the National Football League’s

climactic annual event.

Mr. Barreto said his group aims to have a presentation ready when the NFL issues invitations in October for cities to bid for the 2016 game. A decision is expected soon after that.

The game would be at Sun Life Stadium, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins in Miami Gardens in north Miami-Dade.

"We’re getting some early indications that we could be invited to bid," Mr. Barreto said. "We’ve been talking to the Dolphins and different people around town" about getting a bid together.

Greater Miami has hosted 10 Super Bowls, the most anywhere, Mr. Barreto said. The last was in 2010, when the New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts. That event was expected to add more than $150 million to South Florida’s economy, according to accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Mr. Barreto said he expects the impact from a 2016 Super Bowl here to exceed that figure.

"This is corporate America being entertained by corporate America," he added. "Everyone would be here, spending money, entertaining guests, staying at hotels, going to big parties, eating out at restaurants."

The NFL has chosen locations for the Super Bowl through 2015. Mr. Barreto said Dallas and Tampa could be competitors to host the 2016 game.

The Dolphins have warned that without stadium improvements it would be harder for Greater Miami to compete for Super Bowls.

Mr. Barreto said discussions have been held about building a partial roof to shelter the crowd.

"Hopefully," he added, "the Dolphins will be addressing that issue."To read the entire issue of Miami Today online, subscribe to e -Miami Today, an exact digital replica of the printed edition.