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Story by Alan Snel Photos by Jeff Goulding
PHOENIX, Arizona — It was double duty for the National Football League in Las Vegas and Phoenix Sunday.
In Las Vegas, fans filed into Allegiant Stadium to watch the Pro Bowl Games and a flag football game with NFL players Sunday.
And here in Phoenix, the NFL was in full host mode in downtown Phoenix as an appetizer for the league’s championship game scheduled for next Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale west of Phoenix.
With the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium also hosting Super Bowl 58 a year from now, the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee has staked its flag in the Phoenix Convention Center, complete with a backlit Welcome to Las Vegas sign in the media center.
Las Vegas’ host committee wants to get an in-the-trenches look at security, volunteers and transportation here at Super Bowl 57 in Phoenix. About 40 host committee members from Las Vegas will be here through Super Bowl week, including a bunch who will coming and going
The Vegas host committee chief, Sam Joffray, set up shop in a Las Vegas display booth in the lobby near media center. Here’s our interview with Joffray Sunday:
Joffray was among a half-dozen Las Vegas folks at the display to get ready for what will be a very active week as Las Vegas gets on the clock as Super Bowl host the Monday after the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles decide the league championship in one week.
The talk radio room was set up with Super Bowl banners adorning the ceiling above the rows and rows of tables covered with white cloths.
Fans walked through an NFL Experience setting, with security checking every single person. The NFL has this security process down, and gets help with some of the 10,000 volunteers who are marshalled for the effort.
Security and transportation are two major areas of study for Joffray and his crew. On Tuesday morning, the NFL is holding a press conference on the security topic.