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My Phoenix Super Bowl Experience - Sadly, I am not Going to the Game:(

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Real Estate Agent with HomeSmart Realty, Elite Group Scottsdale, Arizona

Superbowl Central

 

 

 

What’s In A Game?  Whether you like football or not, whether you are a Patriots fan, a Seahawks fan or could care less about either, the Super Bowl experience of activities and celebrations is here for everyone.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting on Monday by the Scottsdale Fashion Square, the Scottsdale Fan Fest opened.  Dominated by the

Scottsdale FanfestESPN stage set, you can watch interviews and analysis by current and former players.  Moving to the various stages, we took a flight on a US Air Force flight simulator (pretty cool!), attended a free concert, watched a cook off demonstration featuring the Queen Creek Olive Mill’s chef, and joined or watched as prizes were awarded at various booths featuring activities such as football throwing competitions etc.

 

 

Scottsdale Fashion Square Superbowl Merchandise

 

 

And of course there are the food trucks!  In Fashion Square itself is the official SuperBowl 49 store where you can buy all things Super Bowl, including correctly inflated balls (I checked!).

 

 

 

NHL Experience

On January 28th, my wife and I decided to explore the 12 blocks of downtown Phoenix that have been closed off for one of the largest street festival that I have seen.  To avoid traffic we boarded the light rail which took us to 3rd and Washington, right in the center of the fun.  Service on the light rail has been extended to run until 2am for the Super Bowl period with trains running every 12 minutes according to the helpful personnel and security at the station stops.  Anchoring the event is the NFL Experience at the Phoenix convention center and Verizon Super Bowl Central.  While the NFL Experience seemed cool with all its football themed games and displays (apparently you can see the Vince Lombardi trophy up close) the $35.00 per person entry fee just didn’t seem necessary given all the other activities.  The streets are filled with games and displays and food.

 

At the Verizon Super Bowl Central which is free to enter, a large stage features concerts and other acts. A massive rock wall with a central waterfall, dubbed the Grand Canyon, where kids of every age can climb for $5.00, marks the southern perimeter and on the east side are the various TV stage sets for local as Grand Canyon Climbing Wallwell as national channels.  Tram Mai and Mark Curtis of Channel 12 News, Carson Palmer our Cardinals QB and  Michael Irvin, hall of fame wide receiver for the Cowboys during the 90's  were there and Alfred Morris the Washington Redskins running back generously signed his photograph for my son Christopher!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A highlight of the Verizon interactive booth was the virtual reality goggles.  Put them on, combine them withVerizon Interactive Experiencethe speakers around you and you are transported to a football field.  As you catch the ball you can  seamlessly look around you as other players block the onrushing defenders.  Both my wife and I made a touchdown!!  (I think everyone else does too.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chloe and Bear

 

 

It is impossible to catch all the activities when you have two puppies waiting for you at home - so we headed home.  Light rail whisked us past all the traffic jams!

 

 

 


There are many other family friendly venues and activities that are football related including the Gridiron Glory put on by the Arizona Science Center and the University of Arizona Connect2STEM, to name only a couple.  But let’s not forget one of the most popular golf tournaments in the world - the Phoenix WM Open is also playing this week and finally the Glendale Chocolate Affaire.  Yes, Glendale hosts an annual chocolate frenzy where chocolate purveyors from around the globe gather.  Football and chocolate will come together as there will be special team events but, for those not so keen on the gridiron, believe it or not the event also features one of the largest gatherings of romance novelists in the Southwest.  How’s that for variety!

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David Thomas

ABR, ePro, SFR, CDPE, Realtor

West USA Realty

Mobile: (602) 763-6363

Office: (480) 948-5554

My Website:Online Arizona Homes