60 South Bay Accent LOCALS WERE SO INTENT ON SECURING SUPER BOWL 50 THAT THEY HASTENED THE COMPLETION OF LEVI’S STADIUM BY ONE YEAR SO THE RESIDENT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS COULD PLAY TWO SEASONS HERE, MEETING THE NFL’S MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO PLAY HOST FOR THE GAME. weeks longer this year to afford visitors the unique chance to skate under a towering circle of palm trees. Taking a few turns around the ice won’t be the only way to burn off calories packed on at downtown San Jose’s renowned restaurants, as one of the Super Community Events—the Super Guadalupe River Run—will attract 5K and 10K runners and walkers to the city’s Guadalupe River Trail on the morning of Super Sunday. No less busy will be Mineta San Jose International Airport—a mere six miles from Levi’s Stadium. Liccardo says to expect about 1,000 jets carrying players, coaches, media and fans during Super Bowl Week. “We are thrilled to be in the mix as we celebrate a world-class event in the Bay Area,” Liccardo remarks. “It’s no accident we became a host city. Community leaders pulled together earlier this year. There has been a lot of pitching (of San Jose) going on.” KICKOFF! In the lead-up to the Super Bowl Santa Clara plans to become the Cinderella of Cities, the glittery glamour and gridiron capital of the world. it, the Bay Area’s largest city will still play a starring role in Super Bowl 50. Super Bowl Opening Night—the new version of the frenzied media day event typically held the Tuesday of Super Bowl Week—will take over San Jose’s SAP Center at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1. Scheduled during TV primetime on the East Coast, players and coaches from the AFC and NFC champion teams will face hordes of microphones and cameras as thousands of media reps from all manner of broadcast and print outlets fill the Shark Tank. Four nights later and a few blocks away, a special Super Bowl version of the First Friday Winter Market will fill the streets of the trendy SoFA district. Artists and craftspeople will ply their wares alongside live musical performances and art gallery tours from 7 to 11 p.m. on Feb. 5. The nearby Fairmont San Jose hotel will be buzzing. According to San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, a “football celebration zone” with live music and a variety of gridiron-inspired activities will fill Plaza de Cesar Chavez a few steps from the Fairmont’s elegant lobby. And in the spacious plaza between the Fairmont and San Jose Museum of Art, the holiday season Downtown Ice rink will stay open a few In the glowing aftermath of New Year’s celebrations, the host city will stage a dressy kickoff to the Super Bowl season. On Jan. 8, the spacious Mission City Ballroom inside the Santa Clara Convention Center will be the site of the Black & Gold Ball, a formal event featuring what city officials describe as premier food and entertainment. The ballroom will accommodate up to 700 guests for the occasion. Specific plans for the evening’s musical entertainment and its star-studded guest list were still being formulated at press time. Tentatively, ticket prices are expected to be $250 general admission on up to $1,500 for VIP entry. This gala is one of many events for which the city has set aside nearly $2 million, but hopes to defray costs by securing private sponsorships. “This will be an elegant black-tie gala, a signature event to honor those people responsible for bringing the Super Bowl to Santa Clara,” says Jennifer Yamaguma, the city’s acting public communications manager. Gourmet cuisine featuring locally sourced ingredients, an awards presentation, a live fundraising auction and the promise of a celebrity seated at every table are all in the works. SHERRY FISHER; OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SHUTTERSTOCK; COURTESY OF SUPER BOWL 50 HOST COMMITTEE; SHUTTERSTOCK (2)
South Bay Accent - Dec 2015/Jan 2016
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