Tampa Bay Offered Opportunity to Host Super Bowl LV
TAMPA, FL – On Tuesday, the NFL announced that Tampa Bay is once again being considered as the potential host site for Super Bowl LV, in February 2021.
Super Bowl LV was originally awarded to Los Angeles at last year’s NFL Spring League Meeting, however, with the recently announced one year delay of the Los Angeles Stadium, NFL ownership voted that contingent upon the ability to hit the required specifications within 90 days, Tampa Bay will be awarded Super Bowl LV.
"From our standpoint, we felt this was an appropriate thing to do," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday. "We were fortunate that Tampa had a very competitive presentation when they bid on the Super Bowl earlier (in 2016). So this was a solution the membership got on very quickly."
“The Tampa Bay area has enjoyed great success over the years hosting Super Bowls and we look forward to working with our local leaders in the coming months to meet the requirements for hosting Super Bowl LV in 2021,” said Bryan Glazer, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Co-Chairman.” Today’s announcement offers us the opportunity to showcase Tampa Bay’s unique ability to come together as a host for world-class events.”
“While today’s encouraging news officially signifies that we’re in the red zone, our focus remains on crossing the goal line by meeting the host requirements in the days ahead, said Rob Higgins, Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. “We are extremely grateful to the Glazer family, as well as all of our community partners, whose efforts have helped position us to reach the ultimate goal of hosting our fifth Super Bowl.”
Tampa Bay has previously hosted four Super Bowls (1984, 1991, 2001, 2009) and most recently played host to the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship at the newly renovated Raymond James Stadium in January. Future Super Bowl host sites include Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium in 2018, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2019 and South Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium in 2020.
What They’re Saying:
“Thanks to an incredibly impressive resume of events hosted in the Tampa Bay area over the years, our community is well versed on what it takes to deliver a successful event. In the coming weeks, I have no doubt that through strategic partnerships and regional collaboration we will demonstrate our commitment and capabilities to the NFL and its stakeholders to earn the right to host our fifth Super Bowl.”
- Ken Hagan, Hillsborough County Commissioner
“Being awarded Super Bowl 2021 is a testament to our city’s ability to shine on the international stage. Tampa does big events as well as anybody in the world and once again we will rise to the occasion. We look forward to working to meet the host requirements over the weeks ahead. Thank you to the NFL and network of owners who voted to unanimously on this move. We will not disappoint."
- Bob Buckhorn, Mayor of Tampa
“We are thrilled with the NFL’s decision to choose Tampa Bay for Super Bowl LV. As a community, we have become experts at hosting national and international events without a hitch – including four successful Super Bowls already, the last one in 2009. We look forward to working with our hospitality stakeholders over the coming months to meet the requirements for hosting the game. This community – Florida’s most diverse travel destination -- has changed dramatically in the years since 2009, thanks to the Tampa Riverwalk, dozens of incredible new restaurants, and hundreds of new hotel rooms. With billions of dollars in new projects on the horizon, visitors will have an even better experience awaiting them in Tampa Bay when they attend Super Bowl LV.”
- Santiago Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay
“It is an honor for Tampa Bay to be considered for its fifth Super Bowl. The Tampa Sports Authority is eager to work with our area partners in the coming months to meet the requirements for hosting Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in 2021. The comprehensive renovations to Raymond James Stadium ensure that the facility will remain one of the top sports facilities in the country. These improvements were due to the efforts of the administrations of both Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We appreciate the NFL providing Tampa Bay an opportunity to be considered for this world class event.”
- Tampa Sports Authority Officials