STATEHOUSE—Rep. Woody Burton (R-Whiteland) along with his colleagues in the Indiana House of Representatives took time today to honor members of the 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee and the City of Indianapolis for their efforts in hosting Super Bowl XLVI. The Super Bowl Host Committee served as the city’s ambassadors for incoming Super Bowl fans, players and media. In an effort to showcase Hoosier hospitality, they designated and ran 20 Super Celebration sites around Indianapolis. They also managed local resources such as city services, event venues, accommodations and thousands of volunteers. Their efforts were enjoyed by more than 1.1 million visitors to Super Bowl Village and more than 265,000 visitors to the NFL experience in downtown Indianapolis. “I am pleased the General Assembly is honoring all of the hard work that went into hosting such a monumental event that was the most watched event in television history,” said Rep. Burton. “These individuals showed the nation and world that Indianapolis and its surrounding areas are world-class. “Not only did the Indianapolis area shine, but the entire state came together to showcase our Hoosier pride to all of our out-of-town guests.” In addition to hosting Super Bowl events, the committee tackled several long-lasting community projects. Prior to being awarded Super Bowl XLVI, Indianapolis showcased the Near Eastside Legacy Project, which consisted of residents who were hard at work transforming their declining eastside community in an effort to be a model for neighborhood revitalization across the city. In 2008, when the NFL announced that Indianapolis had won its bid, they praised the city's enthusiasm for the project as a big reason. Following this, the committee helped manage the project, which raised more than $154 million through public and private partners. The 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee also partnered with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Tissue Bank at IU Simon Cancer Center ("Komen Tissue Bank") to develop Indy's Super Cure. Indy's Super Cure initiative capitalizes on Indianapolis' robust health and life sciences resources to propel the search for a cure. Finally, the Host Committee partnered with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Inc. and the John H. Boner Community Center to plant 2,876 trees in the community – exceeding the city’s 2012 arborous goals. “The effect that this committee has had on Indianapolis and its surrounding communities – as well as the state as whole –will likely be seen for years to come. I applaud their success in both hosting the Super Bowl and the work they did for our local communities.” Led by Chairman Mark Miles and CEO Allison Melangton, the Super Bowl Host Committee consisted of 35 staff members, 150 volunteer co-chairs and over 8,000 volunteers. During today’s legislative session, the committee’s accomplishments were recognized with a standing ovation from all legislators, staff and members of the public that were present. -30- |
