Big Shots Get Ready to Party at Super Bowl XLV

After two years of recession and government intervention, major corporations are ready once again to cut loose and spend big at the Super Bowl

By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek

On the (Icy) Ground at Super Bowl XLV

Over the past week anyone watching TV or surfing the Internet has been consumed by images of widespread protests and unrest in Egypt and by the equally widespread blizzard here at home. For the first time in a long time, the Super Bowl is (almost) taking a backseat to more meaningful global events. But for diehard Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers fans and the rest of us hardy souls braving the frigid conditions in North Texas, there are an abundance of solid Super Bowl storylines to follow. From the economic impact on North Texas to the more than 100 official parties being thrown in the area, here's a look at what's going on in and around Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

1. Economic Impact on the North Texas Region

Everything's bigger in Texas, and the economic impact from Super Bowl XLV is no exception to the rule. According to a report commissioned by the North Texas Super Bowl Host Committee, the big game will generate $611 million in economic impact for the region. The game is projected to bring almost 150,000 visitors from outside the state, with only 9 percent of tickets going to Dallas-area residents. The NFL alone booked 24,000 hotel rooms, with 130 corporate sponsors and advertisers expected to wine and dine their top clients. Seven hundred private jets will fly into regional airports.

According to Bill Lively, who heads the Super Bowl Host Committee, the North Texas region is the biggest ever to host a Super Bowl, stretching over 13 cities and four counties. On top of its $40 million operating budget, the host committee has lassoed 10,150 volunteers.

The NFL has reportedly issued in the neighborhood of 5,500 media credentials, the most ever. In nearby Fort Worth, ESPN is headquartered in Sundance Square; its sprawling set there will be the mainstay for more than 80 hours of planned programming. More than 150 radio stations from around the globe will be set up on "Radio Row" at media headquarters in downtown Dallas, and the BBC is even planning a two-hour documentary on all the regional goings-on, to help Britain prepare to host the Summer Olympics better next year.

While the Super Bowl will be a big boost to local businesses, some economists debate the legitimacy of economic impact studies. Figures from last year's Super Bowl/Pro Bowl combination in Miami ranged from $150 million to $500 million. Regardless, with Dallas being less of a February vacation destination than Miami, the year-over-year increase in tourism dollars is welcome.

"I believe that Super Bowl XLV will be a new standard against which all others are judged," says Frank Supovitz, the NFL's senior vice-president for events.

2. The Venue: Cowboys Stadium

Jerry Jones' Cowboys Stadium no longer is the newest or most expensive stadium in the NFL. Both distinctions go to the New Meadowlands Stadium. And at a capacity of 80,000, Cowboys Stadium is far from the biggest in the NFL—FedEx Field in Washington, D.C., has 11,000 more seats. Nonetheless, what the stadium "lacks" in price tag and size, it makes up in prestige. With its cutting-edge design and famous 72-ft. center-hung video board, Cowboys Stadium has solidified its status as the preeminent facility in American sports—and a peerless host of America's premier sporting event.