’A historic event’: Super Bowl committee, NFL welcome world to Las Vegas
Super Bowl week is expected to be the busiest on record before the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers meet Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.
More than 300 special events are planned this week, from NFL sanctioned events such as the Super Bowl Experience, NFL Honors award show and the Super Bowl breakfast, along with parties at nightclubs on the Strip featuring A-list talent.
“It is sometimes hard to track, (but) based on feel … this undoubtedly is the biggest list of Super Bowl events going on,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president, club business, international and league events, on Monday at a news conference at Mandalay Bay to kick off the week. “This is a place people want to be. This is a really active week, and it is important to us that there is so much for fans to do, whether you’re in the community or coming in even if you’re not able to be there (for the game). I’d say it’s the busiest event roster we’ve ever had.”
Gov. Joe Lombardo echoed those sentiments while proclaiming it Super Bowl 58 week in Nevada.
“Super Bowl 58 will be a historic sporting and entertainment event for the city of Las Vegas, state of Nevada and football fans from across the nation and all attendees,” he said.
After 26 months of planning, Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said it’s finally time for Las Vegas to be in the world’s spotlight.
“(It’s) the opportunity to show the world at the pinnacle of sports what this city can do,” he said.
The NFL took over Allegiant Stadium on Jan. 7 and began transforming it from the Raiders’ home to a Super Bowl facility.
Allegiant Stadium features 49ers and Chiefs logos, including flanking the Al Davis Memorial Torch in the south end of the facility.
“We have an incredible decor team and creative team that puts together a style guide each year that is based on the city,” Katie Keenan, senior director of live events for the NFL, said during a tour of the stadium. “We take a look at the city and take photos and try to design something that is unique to each city. This year, the style guide was about the royal kingdom, which is very Vegas. So we brand the stadium so that it feels like the Super Bowl, so it feels different and fans get a unique experience that only the NFL can bring.”
With the stadium not quite 4 years old, the NFL didn’t have to do much besides add Super Bowl graphics inside and outside the stadium and build hospitality areas in the parking lots.
The game’s theme is also prominent on the Strip and downtown, with graphics added to pedestrian bridges, photo attractions and special programming displayed on marquees, the Sphere and the side of Caesars Palace.
“This is becoming a truly Super Bowl city,” O’Reilly said.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.