Super Bowl Committee Unveils Plan For Downtown Miami Events
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Downtown Miami stands to be the big winner if South Florida is selected to host a future Super Bowl when NFL executives make a decision next month.
The South Florida Super Bowl Bid Committee officially unveiled Thursday a sneak peek of a plan to make Downtown Miami the hub for all NFL sponsored activities if Miami is awarded Super Bowl 50 or 51.
Dubbed Super Bowl Park, the northbound lanes of Biscayne Blvd. would be shut down to vehicular traffic between the Intercontinental Hotel and the American Airlines Arena to allow for increased pedestrian mobility.
"The plan that is in the works is extraordinary and is unlike anything Miami and South Florida has seen in the previous ten Super Bowls that we've hosted," Miami Dolphins CEO Mike Dee told a room of reporters.
The bright-colored rendering and maps offer an idea of what the South Florida Super Bowl Bid Committee has been up to, besides pushing for public funding to renovate Sun Life Stadium.
Part of the public-private partnership agreed upon between the team and Miami-Dade County includes ensuring all game festivities take place in one county.
"We're shifting from doing events between Dade, Broward and Palm Beach and moving everything into a core very tight environment where there's going to be all kinds of activity," Bid Committee Chair Rodney Barreto said.
If the rendering is any indication, a Ferris wheel is part of the plan.
Super Bowl Park would pay tribute to previous championships through interactive exhibits displayed on 49 giant footballs.
Our partners at the Miami Herald have also learned the NFL Experience would be located at Bicentennial Park and the American Airlines Arena would host some events.
The Hyatt Regency and James L. Knight Center would house the media center and the canal near the arena would be turned into "Super Bowl Cove", according to the Herald.
"This is truly and amphibious Super Bowl. We'll leave it at that," Dee said. "There's many things that will take place in and around the water."
Dee and Barreto pitched their proposal to NFL executives earlier this week.
"We had an incredible meeting," Barreto said. He admitted it's not a done deal yet.
"We're still in the very competitive environment with Santa Clara," he said of the other city in contention to host the 50th Super Bowl. "Santa Clara is watching every move we make."
That's why many of the details of the bid are being kept under wraps.
Some former Fins have been clued in to the grand plan.
"In my opinion, every Super Bowl should be here," Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino said. "I think it's a no brainer
Marino, joined by two-time Super Bowl champion Bob Griese and perennial Pro-Bowler Jason Taylor, each reminded voters league executives aren't the only ones with a decision to make.
"If Miami doesn't want to be in the game, don't fix up the stadium," Bob Griese said.
The Miami Dolphins legend said he supports the $350 million proposed renovation.
"There's a lot going on and the only way to get this done, as Bob said, is to vote 'yes' on May 14th," Jason Taylor explained.
The county-wide vote is currently scheduled for May 14th, but is in limbo until the legislature passes a bill allowing the vote and giving a sales tax break to the team. The legislature's final day is May 3rd, so some movement will happen by then.
But, the Dolphins and their supporters are getting out ahead of the possible county vote. Fliers have started popping up in Miami-Dade County mailboxes promising jobs and more Super Bowls for South Florida if the stadium upgrades are approved.
The final bid is due to the NFL on May 8th, but the committee plans to release all the details to the public a couple of days before that.
The league is expected to announce its final decision by May 22nd.
