Post by ChiefsFanatic on Mar 5, 2006 18:55:59 GMT -5
Comments of NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Lamar Hunt & others
Highlights
PETE LEVI, GREATER KANSAS CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: “On behalf of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and everyone connected with the success of the Truman Sports Complex we’d like to thank you commissioner for being with us today. This room is very crowded.
“In the words of (former Chiefs announcer) Bill Grigsby: this is a beautiful day in Kansas City. There’s excitement in the air (applause) here today in the Pavilion and all over Greater Kansas City for the announcement we’re going to hear. We’d like to very much thank Lamar Hunt and Clark Hunt for allowing the community to be a part of this very important announcement today. (applause).
“With that commissioner, we are all ears.”
COMMISSIONER PAUL TAGLIABUE: “Needless to say, I’m extremely pleased to inform everybody that by a vote of the NFL ownership the city of Kansas City will host Super Bowl XLIX (49) in February of 2015. (wild applause)
LAMAR HUNT: We have maybe 150 to 200 people here including former players, fans and Red Coaters.”
TAGLIABUE: “I’ve been there on many occasions with (wife) Chan and it’s always one of the highlights of the football season to visit with the tremendous fans in Kansas City – both before and after the game. I can assure you that I would much prefer to be there than where I am today trying to work out this Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Players Association.
“In terms of the ownership’s vote, as you know Lamar, many factors went into this decision of the clubs to award Super Bowl XLIX (49) in February of 2015 to Kansas City. Not the least of those factors was the recognition by all of our teams – owners and team executives – of your contributions to the league and to the game of football over many, many years. (applause).
“The vote also recognizes the role of Kansas City and Jackson County fans and the great Chiefs fans from all over the area with the success of our league. All of the owners know that whenever they come to Kansas City they face 80,000 fans and not just the Chiefs players. On game day that’s something that is a great competitive advantage for the Chiefs. In the much larger context of support for the National Football League and all 32 of its teams, that’s one of the most impressive things that any owner could see during any given NFL season. That certainly was a very big factor in the membership vote.
“It was also discussed how the long lead time will give your community a big advantage because of the many other facilities that will be built and ready to go by 2015 including the new Sprint Center, the expansion of the Convention Center and many, many other amenities and new facilities including hotels.
“I think the membership felt that hosting a Super Bowl in Kansas City was clearly the right thing to do. Kansas City will become only the fourth northern climate city to host a Super Bowl and the city will have the longest lead time in history to prepare for the Super Bowl.
“As we saw in Detroit recently, a Super Bowl brings a community together in both tangible and intangible ways. In Detroit it was the catalyst for a wide range of very positive developments early on and brought enormous national attention to Detroit throughout Super Bowl week and created momentum for that city’s renaissance.
“In the case of the Chiefs, the playing of Super Bowl XLIX in Kansas City will be contingent on the renovation of Arrowhead Stadium and the Rolling Roof. Those improvements to the stadium will become critically important down the road as the voters in Jackson County prepare to go to the polls on April 4.
“So, from my perspective, this is a very, very exciting moment and I know that this is an understatement compared to the excitement I can hear and feel on the phone at your gathering at the stadium today.
“My congratulations to you, Lamar, to Jack Steadman, to Carl (Peterson) and to everybody in the community for what you have accomplished and what you will be accomplishing in the months ahead.”
HUNT: “I want to give credit where credit is due. The Chiefs original request was for one Super Bowl in the time period of 2012 to 2021 at the election of the league. The suggestion for 2015 actually came from Paul Tagliabue. I first heard it the morning of our meeting here in Kansas City back in November when the league voted to have the game here. Paul suggested we shoot for either 2015 or 2017, game 49 or 51.
“So, when we went back 10 days ago asking the league for a date-specific we wanted to go for the earliest date. We want to credit Paul for having made that suggestion earlier than anybody I’ve ever heard it from. Thank you.
TAGLIABUE: Well, thank you Lamar and congratulations to Kansas City.”
Related:
Real Video - Rolling Roof
CHIEFS SIGN NEW LEASE WITH JACKSON COUNTY, TEAM AWAITS APRIL VOTE
Highlights
PETE LEVI, GREATER KANSAS CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: “On behalf of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and everyone connected with the success of the Truman Sports Complex we’d like to thank you commissioner for being with us today. This room is very crowded.
“In the words of (former Chiefs announcer) Bill Grigsby: this is a beautiful day in Kansas City. There’s excitement in the air (applause) here today in the Pavilion and all over Greater Kansas City for the announcement we’re going to hear. We’d like to very much thank Lamar Hunt and Clark Hunt for allowing the community to be a part of this very important announcement today. (applause).
“With that commissioner, we are all ears.”
COMMISSIONER PAUL TAGLIABUE: “Needless to say, I’m extremely pleased to inform everybody that by a vote of the NFL ownership the city of Kansas City will host Super Bowl XLIX (49) in February of 2015. (wild applause)
LAMAR HUNT: We have maybe 150 to 200 people here including former players, fans and Red Coaters.”
TAGLIABUE: “I’ve been there on many occasions with (wife) Chan and it’s always one of the highlights of the football season to visit with the tremendous fans in Kansas City – both before and after the game. I can assure you that I would much prefer to be there than where I am today trying to work out this Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Players Association.
“In terms of the ownership’s vote, as you know Lamar, many factors went into this decision of the clubs to award Super Bowl XLIX (49) in February of 2015 to Kansas City. Not the least of those factors was the recognition by all of our teams – owners and team executives – of your contributions to the league and to the game of football over many, many years. (applause).
“The vote also recognizes the role of Kansas City and Jackson County fans and the great Chiefs fans from all over the area with the success of our league. All of the owners know that whenever they come to Kansas City they face 80,000 fans and not just the Chiefs players. On game day that’s something that is a great competitive advantage for the Chiefs. In the much larger context of support for the National Football League and all 32 of its teams, that’s one of the most impressive things that any owner could see during any given NFL season. That certainly was a very big factor in the membership vote.
“It was also discussed how the long lead time will give your community a big advantage because of the many other facilities that will be built and ready to go by 2015 including the new Sprint Center, the expansion of the Convention Center and many, many other amenities and new facilities including hotels.
“I think the membership felt that hosting a Super Bowl in Kansas City was clearly the right thing to do. Kansas City will become only the fourth northern climate city to host a Super Bowl and the city will have the longest lead time in history to prepare for the Super Bowl.
“As we saw in Detroit recently, a Super Bowl brings a community together in both tangible and intangible ways. In Detroit it was the catalyst for a wide range of very positive developments early on and brought enormous national attention to Detroit throughout Super Bowl week and created momentum for that city’s renaissance.
“In the case of the Chiefs, the playing of Super Bowl XLIX in Kansas City will be contingent on the renovation of Arrowhead Stadium and the Rolling Roof. Those improvements to the stadium will become critically important down the road as the voters in Jackson County prepare to go to the polls on April 4.
“So, from my perspective, this is a very, very exciting moment and I know that this is an understatement compared to the excitement I can hear and feel on the phone at your gathering at the stadium today.
“My congratulations to you, Lamar, to Jack Steadman, to Carl (Peterson) and to everybody in the community for what you have accomplished and what you will be accomplishing in the months ahead.”
HUNT: “I want to give credit where credit is due. The Chiefs original request was for one Super Bowl in the time period of 2012 to 2021 at the election of the league. The suggestion for 2015 actually came from Paul Tagliabue. I first heard it the morning of our meeting here in Kansas City back in November when the league voted to have the game here. Paul suggested we shoot for either 2015 or 2017, game 49 or 51.
“So, when we went back 10 days ago asking the league for a date-specific we wanted to go for the earliest date. We want to credit Paul for having made that suggestion earlier than anybody I’ve ever heard it from. Thank you.
TAGLIABUE: Well, thank you Lamar and congratulations to Kansas City.”
Related:
Real Video - Rolling Roof
CHIEFS SIGN NEW LEASE WITH JACKSON COUNTY, TEAM AWAITS APRIL VOTE
