Through 2013, just five cities have been selected to host the game 72 percent of the time, a total of 34 out of 47 games. Those cities, in order of frequency, are Miami, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Tampa, and San Diego.

Los Angeles, however, has not had an NFL franchise since the 1990s, making it ineligible.

Of the cities that have hosted or will host the game, only three have an average February temperature in the 60s. Miami leads the pack, at 69 degrees. Next comes Tampa, at 63 degrees. Ineligible Los Angeles averages 60 degrees.

Deluge Was Rare Event

The copious rain at the 2007 Super Bowl underscores the need to put a roof on the Miami Gardens facility, Barreto said in early January.

“After halftime, the stadium was kind of empty—and it showed on TV,” he said. “I think that was very displeasing to [the NFL].”

According to the Florida Climate Center at Florida State University, the average daily chance of getting one-tenth of an inch of rain in Miami during the week starting February 5 is 12 percent. There’s a 2 percent chance of getting a half-inch and zero percent chance of getting an inch.

A half-inch of rain is enough to saturate the soil and “start to cause problems,” in terms of field conditions, said David Zierden, state climatologist at the center.

Footing the Bill

One possible way to pay for stadium renovations is to use hotel bed taxes. It’s too early at this point, however, for the Dolphins to endorse any particular idea, whether that involves public money or not, Dee said. A subcommittee of the host committee recently convened to discuss upgrades and how, if at all, they could be paid for.

“Our position is, at this point, that we’re going to leave no stone unturned,” Dee said.

When asked why the stadium’s private owners can’t foot the bill themselves, he reiterated that the Dolphins have not settled on a way to pay for upgrades, should they happen. But, “if you look at this facility, since 2005, it’s already received over $300 million in private improvements,” he noted.

With a bad economy and the public coming fresh off the plan to use public money to finance the new Florida Marlins ballpark, taxpayers may not be enthusiastic about helping billionaire owner Stephen Ross and his partners upgrade their private stadium, said Stuart Blumberg, the recently retired president and CEO of the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association.

Blumberg currently co-chairs a committee overseeing the renovation of the Miami Beach Convention Center (which could cost more than $100 million), and he said he is concerned that using taxes for the stadium could take away from that project. The convention center is Miami-Dade’s third-largest economic engine and consistently brings more business than Super Bowls, which are played here every few years, at best, he said.

Not least of all, he said, he opposes subsidizing a private venue with public money.

“I have a problem with any portion of bed taxes going to a private venue.”

---

Bill Frogameni writes for the South Florida Business Journal.