PHOENIX — Football fans are pumped up and the countdown is officially on for Super Bowl 57.
“You’ve got your fantasy going on, you got your pick 'em leagues going on, you got your son playing college football,” said Kimberly Kennedy. “You’re like lets go.”
Even though Kimberly and her husband Steve have lived in the Valley for almost 20 years, they are still huge Kanas City Chiefs fans.
“Come February we plan on buying seats in State Farm Stadium to watch our Chiefs win the Super Bowl,” said Steve.
“Just the atmosphere the buzz you hear the fans,” said visitors to the Valley Quincy Carter.
Carter has already been to one Super Bowl to cheer on the Philadelphia Eagles.
He said if they make it to the big game this year, he will be back.
“I come out here for work quite a bit, so I will definitely finagle away to come back,” said Carter.
Sky Harbor Airport is preparing for a huge rush not only for the Super Bowl but also the Waste Management Phoenix Open that will run February 6-12, 2023.
“Back in 2015 there were 175,000 passengers going out of here in one day,” Sky Harbor spokesperson Frankie McLister. “This year we are expecting more.”
In 2015, the last time the Super Bowl was in Arizona, that number set a new record at the airport.
“Everyone is bringing in as much hands as possible,” said McLister.
For the Super Bowl, staff said they are working with the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee to stage volunteers at the airport.
Inside Sky Harbor, a new concourse in Terminal 4 will welcome travelers with eight new gates. New restaurant concepts are also expected to open by February 2023.
Staff promise a new extension of the SkyTrain, set to open later this year, will help travel run smoother. The new portion will extend the train line to 24th Street and to the rental car center.
“That is going to bring passengers to and from the rental car center to Terminal 3 and Terminal 4,that way shuttle lines are not going to be a thing,” said McLister.
The airport is also urging travelers to plan plenty of time if they are flying through Sky Harbor during the week of the Super Bowl.
