Pro Bowl headed back to Hawaii in 2011, 2012
Honolulu, HI (Sports Network) - The NFL's Pro Bowl will return to Aloha
Stadium following a one-year stint in Miami, as the Hawaii Tourism Authority
(HTA) and the league reached a tentative agreement on Friday to bring the all-
star showcase back to its longtime home of Honolulu.
The HTA board voted in favor of paying the NFL a total of $8 million to bring
the event back to the Honolulu in 2011 and 2012. Full details of the contract
are still being finalized. This was the third time the board voted on the
matter.
"The HTA board voted today to accept the terms of the Pro Bowl proposal," said
HTA board chairman Kelvin Bloom. "The Pro Bowl continues to be a great benefit
for our state as evidenced by the recent visitor data that shows an increase
in visitor spending, tax collection and average length of stay for the 2009
Pro Bowl."
The NFL announced major changes to their annual All-Star event in December,
moving the 2010 Pro Bowl to Miami and playing it one week prior to the Super
Bowl.
The Pro Bowl had been played one week after the championship game and was
hosted by Honolulu for the last 30 years.
"We are pleased to continue our partnership with the State of Hawaii, which
has embraced the Pro Bowl for 30 years," said Frank Supovitz, the NFL's senior
vice president of events. "By placing the Pro Bowl in Hawaii on a rotational
basis, we will be able to make the game and its surrounding events even more
accessible to our fans on the mainland while maintaining our ties to the
state. We will also work with the state to continue our charitable grants and
player visit programs during the year the Pro Bowl is off island."
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