Super Bowl LVII had $1.3 billion economic impact in Arizona, committee says

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee says Super Bowl 57 was the most successful Super Bowl for the NFL ever, touting $1.3 billion in economic impact. “Record crowds, a record audience, nearly two-thirds of the United States population tuned in,” said Michael Bidwill, Arizona Cardinals owner.

He and others who were part of the Super Bowl say it’s not just a win for the teams but for the city hosting. “Nearly $730 million to the state GDP and nearly $500 million worth of income for Arizonans and thousands of jobs,” said Gov. Katie Hobbs.

The Arizona Office of Tourism director, Lisa Urias, also called the event a success. “Nearly 103,000 out-of-state visitors made their way to Arizona the week of the game, and of those visitors, more than 42,000 came for the festivities and to explore Arizona without even entering State Farm Stadium,” she said.

That same weekend, Scottsdale was hosting its annual WM Phoenix Open. Researchers believe it helped the Valley pass the $1 billion mark, although the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee said these numbers are separate from the WM Phoenix Open. “In total Super Bowl LVII, visitors accounted for more than $221 million in direct spending, plus hotels across the saw $91 million in revenue and 90% occupancy.”

The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee also says the event gave them a good opportunity to network with major corporations to plant roots in the Valley. “We’ve seen already of the five CEO forums that we have managed since 2018, we have seen 23 companies that have made a commitment to Arizona, creating 50,000 jobs and making a $3 billion capital investment.”

However, being a Super Bowl host city does come with a price and controversy. In this case, Bidwell admits the team lost money by hosting Super Bowl-related parties. “We invest money in this community,” he said. “We’re not making money on this; we’re investing money and that’s the way I look at it.”

The championship football game wasn’t the only big event in Glendale this year. Taylor Swift kicked off her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium. The city of Glendale says for businesses in the area, the economic impact was as large as Super Bowl LVII.

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