Michael Bidwill walked up to the podium at the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee's Economic Impact of Super Bowl LVII press conference with a statement that all of Arizona could be proud of.
"Super Bowl 57 was the most successful Super Bowl in the history of Super Bowls," the Cardinals owner said.
Bidwill, Governor Katie Hobbs, and Jay Parry, CEO and president of the Arizona Super Bowl Committee, said that the organization and state, as a whole, came away benefiting greatly from having the NFL's biggest game in the state.
According to an independent study conducted by the L. William Seidman Research Institute by the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State, it was announced that the Super Bowl generated $1.3 billion total economic activity for the state, and that over $720 million went towards the state's gross domestic product (GDP).
The organization said no other special event in Arizona's history has had as large of an economic impact as Super Bowl 57. It was also shared that it was 40 percent greater from when the Grand Canyon State last hosted the Super Bowl in 2015.
Over 100,000 out-of-state guests came to Arizona for the Super Bowl.
"Tens of thousands of people made memories that will last them a lifetime right here in Arizona," Hobbs said. "But the impact of their time here goes far beyond just memories. With every site they saw, meal they ate, or jersey they bought, they revitalized our economy and our people."
"There's nowhere else in the country where you can cheer on your favorite sports teams one day and see one of the world's Seven Natural Wonders the next," Hobbs added.
Bidwill said that along with the record-setting crowds, two-thirds of the United States population, including millions from around the world, tuned in to watch the Chiefs beat the Eagles at State Farm Stadium with the state on display.
The CEO program, an initiative launched with the goal of bringing high-end companies to Arizona, and the Business Connect Program, which focuses on smaller businesses, also had success according to Bidwill.
"We've created this really unique program that creates a river of economic benefits, and that's a little bit of our secret sauce," Bidwill said. "We created opportunities for small, locally owned independent businesses that are owned by minorities and by women, that created $11.5 million dollars of business opportunities, 246 contracts, and we set a new record among Super Bowls."
Arizona isn't done yet as the state, the Cardinals, and the various different economic, athletic, and government committees have an eye on the future.
"We're going to celebrate today, but we'll be hard at work getting ready for the Final Four, as well as other events that we're going to be going after," Bidwill said. "Including future Super Bowls down the road."
