HOST COMMITTEE DECEMBER MEETING

The Host Committee meets to discuss end-of-year business

By Steve Pate

Thursday, July 29, 2010 - 11:05am

Perhaps it’s only fitting that the entire North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee staged its end-of-year meeting in the home team locker room at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

This is where the Cowboys put on their shoulder pads and game faces before heading into the fray. And, while key players of the Host Committee spent much of Tuesday afternoon discussing what has been accomplished in 2009, there’s no question all eyes have turned to 2010.

The Super Bowl is coming to North Texas in a very big way.

Some 150 of North Texas’ finest — a wide collection of business, civic, education, cultural and sports leaders — sat in chairs arranged in front of the gameday lockers and were apprised of the following gameplan strategies:

  • In the area of sponsorships and fund-raising, Michael Eastland member of the Finance Action Team said the North Texas Host Committee is already ahead of where any previous NFL Host Committee has been.
  • Michael Morris, Chair of the Transportation Action Team, assured the Committee that the Tom Landry Highway will be promoted in a special tribute prior to February 2011 and that passenger rail between Dallas and Fort Worth could be introduced for Super Bowl Sunday.
  • Brad Sham, Chair of the Century In The Making Action Team, described how fans will vote throughout 2010 for the Top 100 football memories in North Texas history.
  • Gene Jones and Rosie Moncrief, Honorary Co-Chairs of the Kick-off Concert Series, announced that $900,000 worth of subscriptions have already been confirmed for the Kick-Off Concert Series — the three music concerts put on by the Host Committee in 2010.
  • Daryl Johnston informed the Committee of SLANT 45, the largest education initiative ever undertaken by a Super Bowl Host Committee.
  • Gina Puente-Brancato, Co-Chair of the Emerging Business Action Team, said an amazing 646 local business owners attended the first of three area workshops, last month in Fort Worth, learning how to register and get certified for Super Bowl opportunities (Click Emerging Business Program on this website for more details).
  • Jay Burress, Chair of the Hospitality Action Team, expressed the excitement among local Convention & Visitors Bureaus and others charged up to greet visitors with a North Texas smile.
  • Representing the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Arlington Youth Foundation, Charlotte Jones Anderson announced that the Jones family, owners of the Cowboys, have made a $1 million contribution (to be matched by an NFL $1 million contribution) for a Youth Education Town (YET) that will remain a lasting legacy.
  • Tara Green, Vice President & COO, reported on last month’s highly-organized and well-run Familiarity Trip for 74 NFL officials and their executives, sponsors and event planners.
  • President & CEO Bill Lively gave a report on the “Host Committee’s State of Preparation”.
  • In closing, Chair Roger Staubach and Lively thanked the entire Host Committee for “a tremendous year”.

And now, all eyes turn to 2010.