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Habitat For Humanity Hopes To Build Super Bowl Connection

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By BAIRD HELGESON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 19, 2008

TAMPA - The local affiliates of Habitat for Humanity are launching a program during next year's Super Bowl in Tampa that they hope will become an annual part of the National Football League's premier game.

Pinellas and Hillsborough counties' branches of the home-building charity will join forces to build 20 homes as part of SuperBuild 2009, including a "Champion's House" that will be built on Super Bowl Sunday and awarded to the group's affiliate in the host city of the winning team.

Volunteers and donors will build eight homes in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, plus another one at the site of the NFL Experience, pro football's traveling, interactive theme park. That home will be moved to another site in the community for a selected family. The local affiliates will raise money to pay for another 10 homes to be built overseas, said Barton Cobb, development director for Pinellas County's Habitat for Humanity.

Local Habitat for Humanity officials outlined the program Wednesday at a meeting that drew about 70 community leaders who want to be involved in events connected to Super Bowl XLIII, which will be played Feb. 1 at Raymond James Stadium.

The Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee held the meeting as about 150 NFL representatives and vendors were in the area to work out details including game day security, community outreach and organizing volunteers.

League representatives are meeting with members of the host committee, elected officials and community leaders all week. It's the second of four major planning weeks in which a large contingent of NFL officials come to the area to finalize plans.

About 4,800 volunteers have agreed to help greet visitors at hotels, the airport and Super Bowl attractions, said Reid Sigmon, executive director of the host committee. Local organizers want 6,000 volunteers by game day.

The host committee has raised nearly half of the $8 million it pledged for the event, Sigmon said. Local governments agreed to kick in $4 million more as part of the effort to lure the game to the area.

Already, a few changes have emerged since 2001, the last time the Super Bowl came to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' home field.

The NFL Experience will be in the south parking lot at Raymond James Stadium, rather than in the north lot like last time.

"It's going to be a whole new event," said Christine Mills, manager of events for the NFL.

Media General's Florida Communications Group, which includes The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and WFLA, Channel 8, is a sponsor of the Tampa Bay host committee.

Reporter Baird Helgeson can be reached at bhelgeson@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7668.

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