Meadowlands To Host 2014 Super Bowl

By: Anthony Pascale

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It's official -- the new Meadowlands Stadium will play host to the 2014 Super Bowl.

National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting in Texas.

The New Jersey venue was the odds-on favorite to be awarded the game.

"We think this is going to be a great, great event for New York and New Jersey, not just the economic impact, but certainly the excitement surrounding the game, and we could use a little bit of that I think in New York and New Jersey," said Giants co-owner John Mara.

"To bring something like this, to be involved in bringing something this big to New Jersey and the New York region, I think is a tremendous thing for all the people who live in our area," said Jets owner Woody Johnson.

The chance for the New York City area to host a Super Bowl has long been held up over weather concerns. The game is normally played in a warm climate or at a stadium with a roof, neither of which is the case at the new $1.6 billion stadium.

Temperatures in East Rutherford, N.J. in early February are usually in the 20s, but that is not worrying local football fans.

"Football's supposed to be played in the cold. Let's have a real team, a real Super Bowl team, championship team played in the cold," said one fan.

"Cold weather is football, it works," said another. "There's all these teams in the north, in Minnesota and Boston, and it doesn't stop them.

"Anything to bring more money to the city I'm for. It'd be nice to have a Super Bowl here," said a third.

Miami and Tampa were also in the running to host Super Bowl XLVII.

The New York Giants and New York Jets estimate the Meadowlands Super Bowl will bring in $550 million to the New York City area.

"Were going to have thousands of visitors from out of town pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into New York City and New Jersey's economy," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Off the field, a cross-Hudson rivalry is already shaping up.

New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg has asked the NFL commissioner that the event not be promoted as only a New York City event.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was also quick to give credit to the Garden State.

The first football game at the new Meadowlands Stadium will be a preseason game between the Jets and Giants this August.