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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 25, 2015
*High Resolution Event Photos Available Upon Request*
Media Contact: Jamie Santiago, [email protected]; 480.481.8712
Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee Announces Record Statistics for Downtown Phoenix and Verizon Super
Bowl Central Festivities
Downtown Phoenix hosted more than one million visitors in the 12-block outdoor fan campus anchored by
Verizon Super Bowl Central in the five days leading up to Super Bowl XLIX, it was announced today by the Arizona
Super Bowl Host Committee. In addition, hotel occupancy in the Valley for Thursday, January 29 through Sunday,
February 1 was 40% above the same time period last year, with occupancy peaking on Super Bowl Saturday at 96%
and highest RevPAR ever recorded for metro Phoenix’s hotels for a single day, according to the Smith Travel
Research.
“We exceeded our expectations, with 1,015,000
visitors from around the world and the region turning out
in downtown Phoenix to celebrate the spirit of Arizona and
Super Bowl XLIX,” said Jay Parry, President and CEO of
the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee.
“The number of people in Phoenix for these
events was unprecedented, and I believe we soon will see
tangible economic results for the city, the region and the
state,” Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said.
At Verizon Super Bowl Central, the center of the festivities, free fan entertainment of 34 national recording
artists, local bands and community groups played at the Pepsi Hyped for Halftime Stage, culminating with The Roots
on Saturday, January 31. During the five-day period, 24,709 Pepsi products were purchased at Verizon Super Bowl
Central. The Grand Canyon Experience Presented by NB | AZ averaged 250 climbers per hour on Super Bowl
Sunday. Verizon kept visitors’ devices charged for free throughout the entire week via biometric scanning technology.
Over 13,000 fans visited Verizon Power House for a variety of football-themed activities utilizing the latest
interactive technology. Visitors learned about
NFL Mobile from the League’s best players and
felt the intensity of the game through cuttingedge virtual reality technology that provided
fans with a once-in-a-lifetime point-of-view
experience. At the end of the experience, fans
walked away with personalized content and a
portable charger to stay charged throughout
Verizon Super Bowl Central.
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Verizon’s 3 week #WhosGonnaWin campaign culminated with a nightly social media driven projection
mapping lightshow overlooking Verizon Super Bowl Central reflecting which team more fans thought would win Super
Bowl XLIX.”
Another notable success were the efforts made by the Host Committee, City of Phoenix and the NFL to
divert the amount of trash going into local landfills through the Kick the Waste initiative. Verizon Super Bowl Central
was the first reduced-waste event of this size associated with the Super Bowl and resulted in a 73% diversion rate
from land-fill to recycling. A first in the city’s history, the initiative will serve as a benchmark for future high profile
events.
“For Arizona, hosting Super Bowl XLIX was an overwhelming success. The members of our community,
Valley stakeholders, corporate and tribal partners, and local businesses should be incredibly proud of how we rallied
together to host this record breaking event and showcase all that Arizona has to offer on the global stage. Our state
will be experiencing the positive impacts for years to come,” commented Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee Board
Chair David Rousseau.
Other statistics for Super Bowl activities that positively impacted Arizona include: More than $2 million was
donated to 27 local non-profit organizations by the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee, Host Committee partners
and the NFL. Approximately 400,000 children were impacted by community efforts around the Super Bowl. 170 trees
were planted in public parks throughout the region. 33,000 new and gently used sports equipment items and books
were collected through Super Kids-Super Sharing event. 23,782 pounds of electronics were collected at an E-Waste
Recycling Rally presented by Verizon.
More About Verizon Super Bowl Central
The 12-block, free, football-themed, family-friendly, outdoor fan campus in Downtown Phoenix was open to the public
from Wednesday, January 28 through Sunday, February 1. In addition to The Grand Canyon Experience Presented
by NB|AZ, the Pepsi Hyped for Halftime stage, Verizon Super Bowl Central also included the iconic XLIX Roman
numerals, AZCentral.com Autograph Stage, the Bud Light Beer Garden, NBC Sports, NFL Network and CNN
broadcast stages and a nightly fireworks show. For the first time in Arizona history fans could enjoy a cold Bud Light
as they walked city streets of the enclosed campus and enjoyed the myriad attractions. Street-level merchants,
downtown restaurants and local food trucks offered a great selection of palate-pleasing options. For updated
information, visit www.azsuperbowl.com.
About Super Bowl XLIX
Super Bowl XLIX set an all-time viewership record. With 114.4 million people tuned in to watch the game in the U.S.,
it was the most viewed show in U.S. television history. The game was viewed in 180 countries worldwide. For more
information, visit www.nfl.com/superbowl/49.
About Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee
AZSBHC is a private, non-profit Arizona corporation that drives Arizona’s plan for Super Bowl XLIX. The Host
Committee plans and stages Super Bowl XLIX and all of its associated events in partnership with the NFL. In
addition, the Host Committee is the catalyst to galvanize the local stakeholders in a united approach to maximize the
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positive media exposure, the game’s positive economic impact for the region and leave a lasting legacy long after
Super Bowl XLIX. For more information visit www.azsuperbowl.com.