Don’t worry about snow at Super Bowl XLVIII, worry about the $40 million to pay for it, Meadowlands officials said yesterday.
Giants, Jets and stadium officials shunted aside questions about how cold it will be when they host the Super Bowl in February 2014, but got serious when discussing the cash they need to host the massive parties, concerts and other festivities leading up to the big game.
“That’s our biggest challenge right now, because we need to raise nearly $40 million,” said Mark Lamping, president and CEO of New Meadowlands Stadium Co. “We have no worries about the weather.”
Lamping was joined yesterday by Gov. Paterson, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Giants and Jets owners and coaches in East Rutherford a day after NFL team owners awarded the 2014 Super Bowl to the new $1.6 billion stadium.
“We’re committed to making this the greatest Super Bowl ever played,” Christie said. “I don’t care if it snows or doesn’t.”
It will be the first Super Bowl to be played outdoors in a cold-weather city.
The joint Giants-Jets-Meadowlands committee now will tap corporate sponsors for the funds to host the game and Super Bowl week events.