2018 Super Bowl Could Be Played In Minnesota, But Indy and New Orleans Also In Running
The 2018 Super Bowl could be played in the frozen climes of Minnesota — inside a state-of-the-art new indoor football stadium that has not yet been built. That’s what will happen if Minneapolis prevails in its bid to host the 52nd edition of the NFL’s championship game, but it faces stiff competition from New Orleans and Indianapolis.
Minneapolis made its bid to host the 2018 Super Bowl official on Wednesday, submitting copies of the document to all 32 NFL owners, who will meet to take a final vote on May 20. Bids remain good for three years, however, so even if Minneapolis failed in its bid to bring the 2018 game to the frozen north, the city remains in the running for the 2019 Super Bowl, as well as the 2020 game.
“We’re going to celebrate winter. And we should, because we do it well — better than anyone,” said Richard Davis, co-chair of the Minneapolis bid committee, at a press conference Wednesday announcing the official submission. “We’re going to talk to the owners about how it’s about time that the NFL brought America’s game around the country, like a caravan, and started taking it out from the Southern states and bring it around to the rest of the world. We should be the first.”
The Minneapolis bid was submitted to each owner on a tablet computer, loaded with a specially designed app that allows NFL owners to easily navigate the high points of the Minneapolis bid.
The NFL has a history of awarding the Super Bowl to cities that have recently built new stadiums. The projected new Vikings Stadium — seen in an artist’s rendering above — is estimated to cost $1 billion and to be open for the 2017-2018 season.
But the NFL sometimes waits a year or two before granting the Super Bowl to a brand new facility. The San Francisco 49ers begin play this coming season in the new Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. That stadium will host a Super Bowl, but not until 2016.
The 2015 Super Bowl will be played at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The 2017 game will be held at NRG (formerly Reliant) Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Also bidding for the 2018 Super Bowl, New Orleans has hosted 10 of the 48 Super Bowl games played already, more than any other city except Miami which has also hosted 10. The 2018 Super Bowl would also coincide with the 300th anniversary of that city’s founding and would be a crown jewel in New Orleans year-long celebration.
Indianapolis hosted the 2012 game, with overall success, though there were complaints that the city lacked enough hotel rooms. But two new high-end hotels have since opened, providing adequate accommodations for the 2018 Super Bowl.
