Volin On Toucher & Rich: Boston Super Bowl 'Not As Crazy As It Sounds'
BOSTON (CBS) - Patriots owner Robert Kraft wants Gillette Stadium to be the next cold weather city to host an outdoor Super Bowl. Governor Deval Patrick is on board, newly appointed Boston mayor Marty Walsh is intrigued, and Ben Volin of the Boston Globe says the idea isn't all that crazy.
Kraft appeared Friday afternoon on the Felger & Massarotti program and made it seem like it might not ultimately be easy, but it's worth raising the possibility in order to help build up the area.
"There are a lot of things that would have to be built up in order to have it happen," Kraft said, noting an area must have 30,000 hotel rooms to host, which would likely require cooperation from Boston, Providence and possibly Hartford. "Sometimes it's good to just put things in play, because it forces a community to think about infrastructure and all of the kind of things we're going to need over the next 10, 15 years. Even if things don't happen sometimes, it's good to go through the process."
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Well after the NY/NJ Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium went off without a hitch (the snowstorm predicted by the Farmer's Almanac didn't come until Monday), the possibility of another cold weather city getting to host the big game in its outdoor stadium is all the more real.
Ben Volin wrote this morning that Gillette Stadium and the Boston Metro Area would be next in line given Kraft's clout among owners. He spoke with Toucher and Rich Tuesday morning.
New York got really lucky with the weather on Sunday, and the success of a future cold weather Super Bowl would also be dependent on the weather.
"You can bet Robert Kraft will play up the fact that it was balmy and nice in Boston, and if it can happen in New York we can make it happen in Boston and New England," Volin said. "New England can get it done. Robert Kraft certainly has enough juice in the NFL to make it happen."
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Volin went on to say that a lot of it comes down to hotel rooms, which the NFL says you need between 30,000 - 35,000. If you extend out the region to include 495 there's roughly that number, which is why Providence would likely be needed as well.
"It's not as crazy as it sounds," said Volin.
One thing proponents will point to is the economic benefit of having a Super Bowl in the region, which Fred Toucher called into question. Ben Volin is just as skeptical, but points out there is reason to believe the contrary.
"I agree with that [lack of economic impact] in places like Miami and San Diego where it is tourist season, but maybe it would help out in Boston. I'm not sure people are taking a ton of trips to Boston in February. I'm not sure how full the hotels really are this time of year, so I do wonder if there will be a legitimate economic impact."
Listen below for the full discussion:
Volin: Boston Super Bowl Not Crazy
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