DETROIT, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Much-maligned Detroit put its best foot forward to win Super Bowl XL and civic leaders Monday proclaimed the event a rousing success.
"To all the naysayers who said 'Why Detroit?' Detroit did, Detroit can, Detroit does and Detroit will do great things in the future," Larry Alexander, president of the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, told a news conference.
Detroit dealt with 1.2 million visitors at its downtown Motown Winter Blast last weekend and more than 72,000 at the Super Bowl at Ford Field, despite a Super Bowl eve snowstorm.
The National Football League heaped praise on Detroit. Frank Supovitz, NFL senior vice president of events, told the Detroit News that Super Sunday was "absolutely perfect" and said Detroit had "met and exceeded" expectations.
It was Detroit's first Super Bowl since 1982 when Super Bowl XVI in the Pontiac Silverdome was snarled by snow and traffic.
