NFL owners met in Boston on Tuesday to vote on host cities for Super Bowls L and LI. The Houston Super Bowl Committee made its pitch to the owners earlier in the day and the league's owners apparently liked what they heard about Houston.
The Bayou City beat out Miami for hosting Super Bowl LI in February 2017. San Francisco was awarded Super Bowl L, the 50th edition, which will be played in 2016.
High-fives, roars and hugs went around Houston's Super Bowl Bid Committee war room Tuesday afternoon at the NFL owners' meetings in Boston after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement.
"Houston is all about people and it's all about community and I think the NFL gets that and they understand that Houston's the future," said Ric Campo, Chairman of the Houston Super Bowl Committee.
Moments after Houston's win over Miami, Texans owner Bob McNair offered his congratulations to the committee that made it happen.
"We haven't had a Super Bowl since 2004, and we'd bid a couple of times before and not been successful, and I think a lot of them just felt like, hey, it's Houston's time," McNair said.
He told us that he had privately polled almost every single NFL owner and he thought they would win, but now it's official.
"It is very satistying, a number of them came up to me afterwards and said you deserved it, so that was nice to hear them say that," said McNair.
Campo added that during 10 days of festivities about one million people are expected to pass through the Discovery Green area, which the bid committee is calling 'Super Bowl El Centro.' It could bring the city millions of dollars in revenue.
McNair added, "This is a worldwide stage that will be constructed in Houston and the world will be watching. It's an opportunity to showcase our wonderful city, the NFL and the Super Bowl all at the same time."
Mayor Annise Parker thanked Campo and the bid committee.
"Houston knows how to roll out the red carpet. We have a lot of time to prepare for this, we are excited for the announcement and very appreciative to NFL owners for letting Houston host it," she said.
The world has been invited to our city.
"Hopefully we'll have three, four, five hundred thousand people come into the city, get a flavor of the Super Bowl experience, even though they may not be able to attend the game," McNair said.
This will be an international Super Bowl and it's a huge economic win for our area.
The Texans and the bid committee say they will reveal more details tomorrow during a press conference.
Houston has hosted a Super Bowl twice before. Super Bowl VIII was held at Rice Stadium back in 1974, and Super Bowl XXXVIII took place at Reliant Stadium in 2004.
Next February, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will host the Super Bowl, with the Phoenix area then hosting in 2015.
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