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Tampa Steel Company Auctions Football-Related Sculptures

Gerdau AmeriSteel

This recycled-steel sculpture was inspired by the Philadelphia Eagles.

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By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 28, 2009

Updated: 01/28/2009 02:10 pm

A Tampa-based steel company has commissioned a series of pro football-oriented sculptures using material recycled from Miami's Orange Bowl for an interactive Super Bowl display and online charity auction.

Gerdau AmeriSteel has created a display designed with LED lights that will be part of the city's Lights on Tampa project through Monday at Cotanchobee Park in the downtown Channel District.

The display includes a 25-foot-tall art structure topped by a 12-foot-tall steel football plus a dozen sculptures depicting teams in the National Football League playoffs this year,

"The sculptures were designed by artists in Tampa, Dallas and elsewhere," said Todd Brooks, public relations representative managing Gerdau Ameristeel's Super Bowl program. "They created 21 sculptures to account for teams that might have appeared in this year's playoffs, and all will be auctioned for charity."

Gerdau AmeriSteel is donating all 21 sculptures, including a Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pirate ship, for an auction at ebay.com/steelart.

The starting price is $500 for the 2-by-2-by-1-foot sculptures that weigh between eight and 80 pounds, Bragalone said.

The auction, which runs through Feb. 5, will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County.

The large football at the Cotanchobee Park display is driven by a Web-based program generated by an online poll of viewers whose "feelings" about the Super Bowl will change the color of the ball.

Webcams views around the display are broadcast on tampapublicmoodring.com, where people can sign on to participate in the interactive presentation.

Gerdau, which employs 325 people at its Boy Scout Road headquarters, plans to retain the larger exhibits for possible future Super Bowl sites.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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