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CHALLENGE San Jose, with its fine restaurants and attractions, understood the fiscal implications of having the 50th anniversary held at the new $1.2 stadium in neighboring Santa Clara. "Last year's game in Phoenix brought in over $700 million," says Kim Walesh, Deputy City Manager and Economic Development Director for the City of San José. The city anticipated a stronger economic impact since this was the 50th anniversary game and the entire Bay Area was hosting it. Like any good host, San José expected to look its best when the crowds arrived. The city was the site of the "Super Bowl Opening Night Fueled by Gatorade" show at SAP Center downtown, where fans, players and thousands of media from around the world would gather. Downtown San José would also offer a SoFA Winter Market, Ice Skating Under the Palms, Winter at Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park and Super San Pedro Square. The last thing the city wanted was for visitors to see trash, a major problem in big cities. So San José officials embarked on an intensive cleanup campaign that included identifying and eliminating illegal dumping sites. "With more than 1 million Bay Area visitors expected, San José is preparing to be a major hub of activity," said San José Council Member Raul Peralez, prior to the game. "One of our objectives is to leverage Big Game opportunities such as the cleanup campaign to create lasting benefits for a cleaner, safer city. Our hope is that even after the game is over, residents and visitors will continue to see the benefits from the program for years to come." Planning for the cleanup started barely three months before the February game; funds weren't approved until late December. Given the urgency, city officials tapped San José State University's (SJSU) CommUniverCity, a decade-old organization that partners with underserved communities in central San José to help create healthier, more vibrant communities, while providing students with experience solving neighborhood issues. CommUniverCity is a partnership between the Community, SJSU and the City of San José. SJSU graduate or upper- division undergraduate students would act as project coordinators to help develop and administer the program under city and faculty supervision. Once funding for the cleanup was approved, CommUniverCity assembled a team of approximately 18 individuals, including CommUniverCity staff, City employees, and SJSU faculty and students. TRANSFORMING THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS overview An event the size of the Big Game can mean critical revenue for local businesses, but when it's the 50th anniversary of the famed professional football rivalry the stakes are even higher. With some 115 million football fans tuning in to watch and tens of thousands viewing the game live at the stadium the economic impact could be huge. Location San José, California, USA

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