Super Bowl 2023: How Glendale, Arizona has been preparing Eagles-Chiefs fans
This is the city's second time hosting a Super Bowl in a decade.
GLENDALE, Arizona (WPVI) -- Excitement is building in Arizona for Super Bowl 57 between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
This is the city's second time hosting a Super Bowl in a decade.
And from the security to preparing the stadium, the levels of preparation have been years in the making.
"We're really fortunate that the NFL has decided to come here for a second time. We don't take that lightly and our job is to execute the plan really well," said Kevin Phelps, the city manager in Glendale.
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Roads have been rebuilt and traffic flow has improved ahead of the big game.
Phelps says the city isn't just home to State Farm Stadium, it's becoming a destination entertainment district.
"If you went back and saw a layout of this area in 2015 and you see a picture today, there's more than double the large structures, and tent areas that are now doing hospitality and events for this Super Bowl," he said.
Like hotels, the last time Glendale hosted, the city had about 800 rooms within walking distance from the venue. That number has now doubled to around 1,700.
The economic impact will be great. Experts project closer to a billion dollars for the Phoenix region.
And it's not just the Super Bowl- right now there are about $1 billion in projects within a mile-square radius of the stadium.
"In the old days, people showed up to the football game a half hour before, and when a game was over with they leave. Today, people take off their entire day, make it an event and that's really what the Super Bowl is on steroids.
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