Has anyone lived in a Super Bowl host city?

[Melissa]

Did you go to any of the events? Just go to the general area and hang out for the atmosphere?

We're trying to figure out what all we want to do. We know we'll all go to the NFL Experience (Enjoy the NFL Experience presented by GMC at Super Bowl XLVI | NFL.com) There are tours of the stadium. They've blocked off a couple city blocks and turfed it; set up stages and there will be free concerts every day. ESPN has set up their studios outdoors and I know Jason wants to go down during Mike & Mike one morning. Jason wants to go down nearly every day, but he's not working so that's doable for him. I'm not so lucky.

We're just trying to figure it all out. Has anyone here done it? I KNOW the traffic and the lines and the crowds are going to be insane, but is it worse than I can even imagine? If we plan several days downtown, after one are we going to say "yeah, no way I'm going back to that madhouse?"

[Golfgirlrobin]

I was living in San Francisco when they held it, but it was back before it became an experience. It was just a big game weekend without a million events held beforehand. A lot of it sounds like fun, but it would have to be a real balancing between the fun and the hell of getting in and out and how much patience you have for guys getting drunk and stupid before noon.

Stadium tour sounds cool, though. I'd probably fight my way through traffic for that.

[Aim]

I know a few people on FB are going down from Michigan, so it must be pretty exciting.

I wonder if they will have parking away from the sites that will bus you in?? That tends to work out well as far as traffic goes. I'd go just for the fun of it. I'd also have to talk myself down from getting grumpy with the crowds beforehand.

[Melissa]

I wonder if they will have parking away from the sites that will bus you in?? That tends to work out well as far as traffic goes.

They do. We were just looking into that last night. Two of the sites are only a few blocks from where they're dropping you off! Seems to defeat the purpose. If I'm going to fight the traffic to get to their garage, I can just walk the remaining 2 blocks, I don't need the bus. (I reserve the right to change my tune if the weather sucks.) But then again, I guess you're guaranteed a parking spot that way too.

The other one is completely outside of downtown, so that would be the one that actually makes the most sense to me.

The good thing about Indy is, once you get downtown and parked, you can walk to everything.

[amazongold]

Well, I live outside of Detroit, but there's no way in hell I'd go to anything in the city! Avoid it like the plague when any events are going on because of all the @$$holes, so never went to any of the Super Bowl stuff they had going on.

[AZLAB]

I didn't but my BR and family had a blast at the NFL experience when it was in Glendale AZ. I did go to a dinner with players and owners but that was because I was lucky and drawn at work..as a health sponsor of the events work had 30 pairs of tickets to the dinner. I know others who did the bar and concert scene and had an absolute blast.

I say go for it..you are not in a warm weather state where they will likely come back quickly. They are coming back to Glendale in 2015.

My only advice is on game day avoid the area of the statium security is so tight it is better to go way around then get caught up in the traffic snarl.

[CindersMyGirl]

I've never lived in the host city, but have gone to the Super Bowl. Go to the events!!!!! It was awesome. One of our most fun experiences. Our team was in it the year we went ( I believe yours was, too. Let's not talk about that part) GO!

[Nick]

How close do you live to the stadium. With these big events, sometimes it's worth renting out your house (or a room) if you're close because you don't have to pay any income taxes on the rental income. I know people who make $20-$30,000 renting out their house for Derby week, and as long as it's for 14 or fewer days, you don't have to report the income. Of course, these aren't your run-of-the-mill houses, but it's a pretty sweet deal if it's doable.

[Maple1]

Yes, and went to some of the events and general hanging out in the area, but not the game. It was a lot of fun and worth doing since it will be in your backyard. Of course later in the weekend Ray Lewis [Baltimore Ravens] and a couple of his buddies ending up being involved in a double murder - stabbed two people to death, so there was a litlle damper on the weekend as a whole.

[FieldofDreamsMiniHorses]

Not quite in the town but we live within 50 miles of Dallas. Didn't make it to any of the cool stuff, which was sad because the Steelers were in the game! The weather was HORRENDOUS that week!