New NFL Stadiums with Super Bowl Dreams The NFL has 2 planned new stadiums coming in the next few years that the plans are now final. They are the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX and the Indianapolis Colt's Lucas Oil Field. The Colt's stadium will open in 2008, while the Cowboys stadium will open the following season. Having a new stadium in a warm weather stadium is almost a guaranteed ticket to host a Super Bowl. Shortly after the plans were finalized, Dallas was awarded Super Bowl XLV. Having 100,000 seats was a major factor in getting a Super Bowl so early. The NFL is very excited about having 30,000 additional tickets to sell as opposed to recent Super Bowls. Lucas Oil Field is lobbying for a Super Bowl, but the city infrastructure has been the biggest liability in getting the Super Bowl to Indianapolis. They fall well short of the minimum hotel room requirement, and the NFL does not was another embarrassment like Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville. Jacksonville was not ready for a Super Bowl, and it showed. But that will not stop the Colt's from applying to host Super Bowl XLVI. A potential venue currently must meet these qualifications in order to be a Super Bowl host:
Exceptions are at the discretion of the NFL. For instance, cruise ships made up the discrepancy in hotel rooms for Jacksonville in Super Bowl XXXIX. On March 5, 2006, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, a 'cold weather' city, was awarded the rights to host Super Bowl XLIX in 2015. However, the game was contingent on the successful passage of two sales taxes in Jackson County, Missouri on April 4, 2006. The first tax would have funded improvements to Arrowhead, home of the Chiefs and the Kansas City Wizards Major League Soccer team, and neighboring Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals Major League Baseball team. The second tax would have allowed the construction of a "rolling roof" between the two stadiums. However, the second tax failed to pass. With increased opposition by local business leaders and politicians, Kansas City eventually withdrew its request to host the game by May 25, 2006. |
Above: Sports fans in San Diego are hoping for a new stadium for the Chargers. A new stadium in San Diego would mean their city being put into a 5 year rotation for hosting the Super Bowl again. The existing Qualcomm Stadium is too outdated. Below: San Francisco is in danger of losing the 49ers to Santa Clara. Below are the proposed plans to keep the niners in Candlestick Park - but in a new state-of-the-art stadium. |