Host Committee Says Super Bowl A Super Success For Mpls.
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Organizers in Minneapolis are calling Super Bowl LII an unqualified success.
The host committee believes they raised enough money to cover all the bills.
And organizers say you can't put a price on the PR opportunities brought on by the big game, which should help Minnesota book even more national events.
Organizers are thrilled with how seamlessly the game and the 10 days of events leading up to the game went. And they say the pay off will be more big time events for the Twin Cities.
"I don't know if we could go happier. It really did go well," Host Committee CEO Maureen Bausch said.
Bausch says the Super Bowl could not have gone better, even with the bitter cold.
"It seemed like the colder it got the more people came out to listen to the music. When it snowed all we heard was, 'This is perfect,'" she said.
While some host cities have been left footing millions in Super Bowl bills for items like law enforcement overtime, Bausch said that won't happen for this Super Bowl. She says the $53 million the Host Committee raised will cover those bills.
With more than 100 million people watching, Super Bowl host cities have also ended up getting a significant PR boost.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released a statement saying: "We showed the world that Minneapolis adds flavor to big events that simply can't be found in any other city. That reputation will serve us well in the future."
Fans leaving the game Sunday night agreed.
"The city treated everybody so fantastically. The logistics were great," one fan said. "The stadium is gorgeous."
"Minneapolis, you guys do it right. You guys are so welcoming here. One of the friendliest cities I have ever been to," another fan said.
A survey Commissioned for the Super Bowl Host Committee estimates the benefit from this Super Bowl to the local economy is in excess of $300 million.
As for future big events, the Twin Cities has already landed another big one the 2019 NCAA Final Four men's basketball championships.