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Bowl finale: Minority businesses scored more contracts

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By BAIRD HELGESON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 7, 2009

Local Super Bowl organizers are celebrating a different kind of victory two months after the historic matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals.

More small businesses owned by women and minorities received Super Bowl contracts than the last time the Tampa hosted the game in 2001.

More than 130 area businesses landed $3.96 million in Super Bowl business as part of the Emerging Business Program. The last time Tampa hosted, 105 area businesses owned by women and minorities won $2.5 million in Super Bowl-related contracts.

Curtis Stokes, who headed community outreach for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee, said the success is due in part to organizers doing a better job matching vendors and contractors with local businesses.

Super Bowl organizers also worked harder to ensure business owners' had realistic expectations, Stokes said. Last time, some business owners who didn't have services or products related to hosting a big event were disappointed they didn't get contracts.

Organizers created a database of hundreds of local businesses owned by women and minorities to quickly match them with Super Bowl vendors. The list can be used as a resource when other big events come to the area.

"These successes can serve as a model in hosting other high profile sporting events and activities," Stokes said.

At least one business owner said he needed more preparation for dealing with the expectations of big-time Super Bowl contracts.

Jeffrey Bermudez was thrilled when two Super Bowl vendors selected his 12-person security firm to help keep people safe before the big game.

But Bermudez had no idea insurance and training about 40 temporary security guards would be so expensive.

When all the bills were paid, the owner of Bermudez Investigations Inc. spent $75,000 to honor his $65,000 Super Bowl contracts.

"There's all this grandeur and history in hosting the Super Bowl, but it almost made us history," Bermudez said.

Stokes noted that the host committee held several informational meetings for those seeking Super Bowl contracts so they could ask questions of vendors and organizers.

Bermudez said he was too busy to attend the meetings, and that he expected the organizers would do more to reach out. He never heard from host committee organizers once he was told he got the contract.

Bermudez considers it a high-profile learning experience.

"I'd do it again, but I'd be a lot smarter about it," he said.

Before closing its offices, the host committee offered other examples of game's impact on the Bay area:

- The NFL Environmental Program collected more than 34 tons of recyclable materials. About 65,000 pounds of food was collected from various Super Bowl events and donated to local food banks and charities. It also oversaw the planting of 2,000 trees throughout the community.

- About 100 area schools donated more than 48,000 books and pieces of sporting equipment.

- The NFL donated $1 million to the NFL Youth Education Town Centers of Tampa Bay to expand both the Jackson Heights and Mort Park YET center. At Mort Park, the Glazer Family Foundation donated $150,000 for a new field and fitness trail. A $100,000 partnership with the Patel Conservatory will provide on-site music, dance and theatre programming and multimedia training in recording and digital arts to YET youth.

Reporter Baird Helgeson can be reached at (813) 259-7668.

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