The Moment of Truth

Will we land the big game? An answer is expected very soon. Meantime, check out the latest from IBJ:

Indianapolis’ bid to host the 2012 Super Bowl calls for turning downtown into a big party, complete with massive fire pits to keep revelers warm.

Officials hope to beat out Indianapolis’ larger rivals—Phoenix and Houston—in part by casting the city’s smaller size as a strength.

“When the Super Bowl comes to Indianapolis, the NFL will own the joint,” reads an executive summary of the bid released last night.

And, perhaps feeling the sting of being beaten last year by a larger facility in Dallas, local officials found a way to promise an additional 5,000 seats in Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Indianapolis delegation will make its pitch to the 32 NFL owners here today. The city’s bid includes creating a $9 million practice facility for the NFC Super Bowl representative on the Arsenal Technical High School campus. The facility would serve as a Super Bowl legacy to help youth on the city’s near east side and spur redevelopment in the area. The AFC champion would use the Indianapolis Colts' 56th Street training complex for preparation in the days leading up to the game.