By Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation
Following in the footsteps of the city's 10th and most successful Super Bowl earlier this year, the NFL has officially invited New Orleans to bid to host Super Bowl LII, in 2018.
The New Orleans Saints and Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation will officially begin the bid process to host an NFL record 11th Super Bowl in 2018, while celebrating the Tri-centennial of the city. Saints Owner/Chairman of the Board Tom Benson on Tuesday discussed the city's desire to host the league's championship game with NFL officials and owners at Fall league meetings in Washington, D.C.
"This is another great opportunity for us to have a chance to showcase our city to the entire world when we are celebrating such an important historical milestone as the Tri-centennial," Benson said. "We will face stiff competition from Indianapolis and Minnesota, but we feel very strongly having just hosted Super Bowl XLVII and that being a tremendous success will give us momentum during the bid process."
"The Super Bowl is a celebration of unparalleled magnitude. What better time for New Orleans to host its record 11th Super Bowl than during a party 300 years in the making?" said Jay Cicero, Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation president and CEO. "New Orleans' reputation as a Super Bowl host is second to none. We are excited to begin the official bid process to showcase our city's unique culture, spirit and love of major events once again to the NFL. Most importantly, we appreciate the essential support of the New Orleans Saints, Mr. and Mrs. Benson, Rita Benson LeBlanc, and the entire Saints staff in maintaining New Orleans' position as a Super Bowl city."
The process will begin as soon as the bid cities receive the official bid documents from the NFL and will conclude in May 2014 with a presentation to the 32 NFL owners.
"Having hosted 10 Super Bowls, our community recognizes the sizeable economic impact and exposure that this event delivers, and each year the number of cities seeking consideration to host increases. The New Orleans Saints and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation will showcase New Orleans as the premier city for the largest and most successful annual sporting event in the world," Cicero said.
About Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation
Organized in August 1988, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation (GNOSF) is a non-profit 501(c) (4) organization whose mission is to attract and manage sporting events that have a positive economic impact on the Greater New Orleans area. Since 1988, GNOSF have events have turned a $64 Million investment from public and private sources into more than $1.8 Billion in economic impact for the City of New Orleans and State of LA.
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