Here and Now - Super Events Impact

I'm a Superbowl Volunteer, and spent part of the day yesterday at the Westin Kierland as part of the Superbowl Committee's Information Center at the hotel. We met people from all over the US, and a number of players and coaches. One thing I noticed was that both men and women were coming back into the hotel with any number of bags from Kierland area stores. One of the running backs from the Pats came in with a huge bag from Louis Vitton. So money is being spent. The men's bags seemed to be pretty much from Kierland stores, but women had bags from Dillards (PV Mall or Scottsdale Fashon Park), Nieman Marcus, Nordstroms. Also a fair number of guests came in with bags from places like Walgreen's, Safeway, and CVS.

The security is really something at the Westin. I was at a presidential event one time, and Kierland security nearly at the same level. I talked with an NFL Security supervisor and they said that in addition to the highly visible police, they had plain clothes security, and some private as well. And no, we are not allowed to ask for autographs or pass along marriage proposals to Tom Brady.

PS-I'm keeping a journal of the experience if it's something of interest to KJZZ.

I am definently a college (ASU season ticket holder for 18 years) and pro football fan and I always look forward to the Super Bowl, but enough already. The media is falling over themselves over this thing. Right now, the game has become an annoyance, not a sporting event. I guess it's another thing for all these people that have moved here from everywhere else to brag about to where ever it is they came from.

I'm angry that we citizens have to pay for the stadium for about the same life-span of the stadium while all the teams reap ALL the profits.
I hate sports and am forced to pay for something
that I don't want. Why did not Phoenix negotiate a better contract NOT to HOLD the tax bill for a team that ought to be grateful to play in such a state of sunshine.

Can you ask your guest (Debra) what exactly is wrong with Sun Devil Stadium? Again, this rah rah civic stuff is irritating. Why has KJZZ become so one sided on the weekly, local Here and Now?

I can't afford tickets. I can't afford the parties which
are $500-$3000. This is a horrible way to celebrate the good things left in our society.

why can't we pour this kind of money into science?
why can't we pour this kind of money into providing insurance for kids with autism who don't have coverage in AZ
why can't we support those who need help instead of wanting to vomit when we see ticket prices

we should concentrate on making orschools better so that arizona would have an excellent work base in order to attract corporations and executive positions. at the moment, arizona is a middle class state. forget football and baseball stasdiums. let us go for the better jobs

Heude,

Can you tell me how to pronounce your name?

Also, DMR, I appreciate your comments. We try NOT to be one-sided. I think Profesor Porter is more critical and not so much a rah-rah kind of guest. Let me know what you think? Keep letting us know if you think we are going overboard one way or the other.

Did we build the stadium for one event? It seems to me there are regular season games, concerts, monster truck rallies etc. that provide taxes, jobs at the stadium, jobs at bars, resturants, hotels, retail, security, construction, fines for speeding, parking etc. Are there ANY events that do pay? The prof seems to say that nothing is profitable. I'm sorry but you can't attract people by expanding your airport or building a new bridge as the prof seems to think we should do with the money instead.

1. Acording to this article is that a stadium doesn't provide any payoff. http://www.brookings.edu/articles/1997/summer_taxes_noll.aspx

2. The Superbowl is trading tickets for work.

3. Where can I over charge people and then get them to work for free to make me richer.

Since we host these events to bring a spotlight to the Valley, and CEO's look at our education system, how do you think they will react to a legislature that is contemplating concealed weapons, carried by permit holders, allowed in our schools? Perhaps we need some publicity on the ludicrousness of such a policy.

What about the aggravation to the local population? The PFChang FunRun is NO FUN for locals. It runs through the most populated portions of Tempe and residents are barricaded in their neighborhoods all day, The paltry anount of money raised for the charity does not justify the trouble. The money raised by the city of Tempe is just spent on services for the event. I will not eat PFChang or any business associated with the corporation because I hate this event.

i've always heard that PIR ... privately built and owned ... brings more money to the valley with their races. taxpayers don't subsidize it. do you have those numbers?

Paul,

We're not idiot's out here. You are truly convinced that this show, today, especially right now, isn't one sided?

DMR,

Right now, no. I think Professor Porter did bring a voice that is rarely heard when discussing this issue.

About PIR, a study done in the mid 90's found that PIR contributed 300 million a year hosting two races. The county did build a new bridge to PIR that cost taxpayers about $5 million

If you cannot measure the economic impact of the "investments" then why argue the point. The pro side has a lot of secondary effects but no hard numbers. Professor Porter sounds like he has some hard numbers to discuss.