New Orleans submitted a bid to host the 2018 Super Bowl in New Orleans. The year would coincide with the city’s celebration of its tricentennial. Working with the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and the New Orleans Saints the pitch focused on the city’s rich history in America as well as its record number of times hosting the big game previously. Each NFL team owner was presented with a hand made wooden box which contained: an iPad preprogramed with a self playing video describing the various unique aspects of holding the game in New Orleans, a full color brochure detailing the pitch with the commited improvements to stadium and city infrastructure, a custom made wooden USB drive which contained all bid details in digital form, 2 flip books which showcased a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade and the new LED lighting scheme on the Super Dome, and finally a personal letter from Saints Owner Tom Benson which was hand-addressed using a calligrapher and closed with a custom made wax seal. Ultimately the bid went to Minneapolis because of a new stadium that would open that year, but the pitch was praised by local sports media as well as other NFL owners.
