Bay Area takes Super Bowl handoff from New Orleans, eyes 60th game

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- The Bay Area officially took the handoff for Super Bowl LX from the Super Bowl LIX host committee Monday in New Orleans, starting the clock of anticipation for the 60th edition of the NFL finale.

Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., which hosted Super Bowl 50 in 2015, will host Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026. Next year, the Bay Area will become the first region in history to host a Super Bowl and World Cup games, which will both be held at Levi's Stadium.

"We had a great Super Bowl in Super Bowl 50," San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York said Monday at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. "This is going to blow the doors off."

Levi's Stadium is undergoing a $200 million renovation. The upgrades include improved technology and renovated premium spaces. The stadium will have the largest 4K display video board in the NFL, as well as another 13,000 square feet of LED screens throughout the place.

More than 65,000 fans attended Super Bowl LIX on Sunday in New Orleans. The city injected its culture into events throughout the week, while fans were kept safe by thousands of local and federal law enforcement officials.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league hopes to host a Super Bowl in New Orleans for a 12th time "as soon as possible."

Super Bowl LIX was projected to have an economic impact of about $500 million, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Initial estimates for the economic impact of Super Bowl LX span from $370 million to $630 million. Super Bowl 50 generated about $240 million for the Bay Area in 2015.

"Now the time has come for us to pass the game on to the Bay Area host committee and our friends from the San Francisco 49ers," New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson said. "We wish you all the best of luck."

Super Bowl LXI will be Feb. 14, 2027, in Inglewood, Calif. Super Bowl LXII in 2028 will be in Atlanta.

"We are already challenging ourselves to do things differently, making our mark by infusing an innovative Bay Area spirit through the entire Super Bowl experience, from entrepreneurship in the South Bay, to the vibrant culture of the East Bay, to the award winning wineries in the north and the waterfront of San Francisco," Bay Area host committee president Zaileen Janmohamed said.

"The Bay Area is a tapestry of experiences that will captivate your senses."