Las Vegas is set to become just the 16th different U.S. city to host a Super Bowl, making its Big Game debut with Super Bowl LVIII this February.
Despite its lack of NFL history, there's a case to be made that the Entertainment Capital of the World is one of the best Super Bowl host cities ever.
Let's compare Las Vegas to the game's most prolific sites over nearly six decades and see where it ranks.
Regardless of what plays out between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers inside of Allegiant Stadium on February 11, Sin City has ways to go before it can catch multi-time Super Bowl host cities with rich histories such as Miami, New Orleans and Los Angeles.
After all, the Miami metropolitan area has hosted a record 11 Super Bowls since 1968 and New Orleans will tie that mark when it plays host to Super Bowl LIX in 2025. Next year's game will mark the Caesars Superdome's record-eighth Super Bowl.
And then there's Greater Los Angeles, which has hosted the Super Bowl on eight occasions, including the very first AFLCNFL World Championship Game in 1967.
While Las Vegas lacks a rich Super Bowl history it more than makes up for it with an unparalleled appeal to non football fans and impressive tourism infrastructure.
Welcome to Las Vegas sign at Harry Reid International Airport. (Photo Credit: Eric Bowman)
The Strip as well as Allegiant Stadium are located just minutes from Harry Reid International Airport and visitors arriving for the Big Game have their pick of accommodations, from budget-friendly motels to iconic resorts.
The ability to set up shop along the Strip for long stretches, popping in and out of stores, bars, restaurants, casinos and other unique attractions means less headaches and fewer costs when it comes to getting around. That gives Vegas a clear edge over more sprawling past hosts such as the San Francisco Bay Area and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
The weather is another big win for Super Bowl travelers. The average high temperature in February is a comfortable 66 degrees and rain is rare in this desert climate. In that regard, Las Vegas ascends cold-weather Super Bowl host cities such as Detroit, Minneapolis, Indianapolis and New York. Of those four cities, only Detroit and Minneapolis have hosted more than once.
Showgirls posing with tourists in Las Vegas. (Photo Credit: matthewleesdixon/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Plus)
Ahead of its Super Bowl debut, it's fair to say that Las Vegas already ranks right alongside beloved multi-time host cities such as Tampa (five), Phoenix (four) and San Diego (three).
The Super Bowl will move on to New Orleans next year and spend the two years after that in California but Las Vegas' emergence as a premier sports destination on top of what it's always offered travelers makes it feel like it's only a matter of time before the NFL returns to what is a truly one-of-a-kind host city.
As football pundits would say, Las Vegas has dynasty potential.?
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