http://www.azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/0330tr-superbowl0330Z10.html

Tempe kicks in money to promote Super Bowl $121,432 is likely to reap benefits in tourist money

Ty Young The Arizona Republic Mar. 30, 2006 12:00 AM

Sun Devil Stadium may not be good enough to land the Super Bowl, but Tempe hotels expect to be a sought-after commodity for the thousands of tourists the game will attract.

Tempe is one of seven Valley cities asked by the Arizona Super Bowl XLII Host Committee to kick in money to promote tourism and hotel use for the game. The Super Bowl will be at Arizona Cardinals Stadium in Glendale on Feb. 3, 2008.

The Tempe Convention and Visitors Bureau last year agreed to pay a total of $121,432 to the committee, in three yearly installments.

Stephanie Nowack, president and chief executive officer of the bureau, said supporting the committee will bolster the city's economic impact.

"The Super Bowl is a huge event for the entire Valley," she said. "Even if the game is played in another city, we all will benefit economically."

After the 1996 Super Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium, the National Football League determined that the stadium did not meet the structural requirements for future games. The 2008 game will provide an important connection to other cities in the area, Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman said.

"It is no longer a fact of life that cities have to fight with each other for events of this magnitude," he said. "We are regional players and we support our neighbors."

The committee expects that more than 35,000 rooms will be available in the greater Phoenix area for the Super Bowl. According to the group, the Super Bowl could have a $300 million to $400 million impact on the area.

"All of these people need a place to stay," Nowack said. "It's really important to look at the big picture."

The amount Tempe will kick in was based on the percentage of hotel rooms in each city.

Last year, officials determined that Tempe had 7.6 percent of the Valley's rooms, so the city would pay that percentage of the committee's $1.6 million request. Phoenix will chip in the most with $785,458, followed by $455,615 from Scottsdale. Tempe was the third-highest contributor at $121,432.

Money will come from Proposition 302 allocations from the state, generated by hotel and rental car taxes. Chandler will soon hear a similar request for funds; the city will be asked to contribute close to $45,000.