Indy lands the Super Bowl

Governor Mitch Daniels' Executive Order of March 11, 2008:

STATE OF INDIANA EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT INDIANAPOLIS EXECUTIVE ORDER: 08-05 FOR: COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FOR THE HOSTING OF SUPER BOWL XLVI TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS MAY COME, GREETINGS. WHEREAS, the National Football League ("League") owns, produces and controls the annual professional football championship game known as the "Super Bowl," and NFL Properties LLC ("NFLP" or, together with the League, the "NFL") owns, produces and controls the "NFL Experience," and along with other NFL Affiliates owns, produces and controls certain other events associated with the Super Bowl ("Official Events"); WHEREAS, the State of Indiana desires Indianapolis, Indiana, to be designated the host of Super Bowl XLVI and has within its jurisdiction facilities and their premises, access roads, thoroughfares and other areas which may be used for the purposes of organizing, financing, promoting, accommodating, staging and conducting Super Bowl XLVI and its related Official Events and activities; WHEREAS, hosting the Super Bowl and Official Events will generate goodwill, enhance the worldwide renown and prestige of the State of Indiana and Indianapolis, create temporary jobs and create substantial beneficial economic and fiscal activity; WHEREAS, the NFL has requested a declaration of support from the State of Indiana and has also required certain guarantees from the State and City of Indianapolis concerning the performance of reasonably necessary governmental services in connection with the Super Bowl and related Official Events as part of the formal bid made by Indianapolis, Indiana, to be designated as a site for Super Bowl XLVI; and WHEREAS, the Indiana State Police along with other state and local law enforcement agencies are officially charged with the responsibility to provide certain public safety services within their jurisdictions. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Indiana, do hereby order that: 1. The State of Indiana welcomes Super Bowl XLVI and any related Official Events to the state and to that end declares its full support of the efforts of Indianapolis 2012, Inc., to have Indianapolis selected as the site for Super Bowl XLVI. 2. Upon designation of Indianapolis, Indiana, as the site for Super Bowl XLVI, and at all times thereafter, the State of Indiana and its agencies, departments and personnel, agree to provide all governmental services, including without limitation: public safety, security, fire and medical emergency, traffic, decorative display and public works/street maintenance services and supplies that may be reasonably necessary to the success of Super Bowl XLVI and any related Official Events within the State of Indiana's jurisdiction. This would include all planning, training or deployment activities related to the provision of such services, all at no cost, expense or liability to the NFL or either of the two participating Teams ("Teams") (while at the same time, recognizing that because of the uniqueness and extraordinary scope of the Super Bowl, that the provision of such services may be needed at below, equal to or beyond the normal level and range of public safety services generally provided for events held within the jurisdiction). 3. The State of Indiana agrees that neither the NFL, the Teams, nor any director, shareholder, officer, agency employee or other representative of the NFL or the Teams shall be held accountable for or incur any financial responsibility or liability of any kind or nature whatsoever in connection with the governmental services planned and/or provided by the State of Indiana relating to Super Bowl XLVI and related Official Events. 4. The State of Indiana agrees to actively protect against unauthorized promotional activities during the two weeks prior through the week following Super Bowl XLVI and related Official Events which detract from, or interfere with, the promotional activities of the NFL in connection with the Super Bowl Game. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I, Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Indiana on this 11th day of March, 2008. Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. Governor of Indiana SEAL ATTEST: Todd Rokita Secretary of State Posted: 03/26/2008 by Legislative Services Agency DIN: 20080326-IR-GOV080197EOA Composed: May 20,2008 3:14:30PM EDT A PDF version of this document.

Comments

[Andy Borgmann]

Take that Atlanta!

Atlanta (my current place of residence) seems to complain every time they aren't awarded it. Glad to see it's going to Indy. I am going to predict a Colts / Giants 2012 SuperBowl featuring hermano a hermano match-up

[Karen Goldner]

Which leads me to a question: has a home team ever played in a Super Bowl? If not, what has been the closest team to the Super Bowl host?

I don't know the answer but I'm sure someone out there in the blogosphere does.

[Alex Bowers]

They sure do! (Another ATL resident here.)

I'm excited for Indy's win, and hope that the Colts can make it all the way through another post-season.

Ed. note: Spoken like the football veteran you are.

[Robert Enders]

Karen,
I did not know the answer myself, so I checked Wikipedia. This is what the article on the Super Bowl says:

"Only twice have home teams appeared in the game. Interestingly, neither team played in its usual home stadium. The San Francisco 49ers played Super Bowl XIX in Stanford Stadium rather than Candlestick Park, and the Los Angeles Rams played Super Bowl XIV in the Rose Bowl rather than the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum."

[K.E. Casey]

Not that the Superbowl is any more civilized, but I'll take it over the drunken mess of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

I'm glad that Indy's gamble on the new stadium paid off. I really love paying more taxes for it, too.

I suppose it should be a source of pride for Hoosiers because it indicates a level of national recognition.

[Robert Enders]

Casey,
National recognition can be worth its weight in gold. Most people reading this know the two teams that played in Super Bowl XL. Without looking, how many know where that game was played? Was the temporary economic boost provided by hosting one Super Bowl worth the expense of luring the big game to that city? How is that city faring today?