$550 Million in Local Spending Expected from Super Bowl

The 2014 Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium is expected to have a $550 million economic impact on New Jersey and New York, with an estimated 400,000 people in the region, according to a report on dailyrecord.com.

Businesses should start preparing for the flood of visitors now, according to speakers at The Big Game Huddle, an informational and networking event held Wednesday at Raritan Valley Country Club.

“Start the celebration now,” said Wayne Hasenbalg, president and chief executive officer of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. “You don’t have to wait until the week before the game," he told the dailyrecord.com.

That impact will be felt in North and Central Jersey, as one of the competing teams will practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park. Nearby bar owner Michael "Miami Mike" Minervini is considering featuring events such as player signings, bands, an outdoor barbecue and more at his Miami Mike's Sports Zone.

The game's Media Day, the first in the series of events leading up to the big game, will be held at Prudential Arena in Newark .

Super Bowl can often have a huge impact on local economies. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, roughly $480 million of excess spending in New Orleans was generated by the Super Bowl in 2013.

The crush of visitors also is expected to have an outsized impact on transportation. 

“We’ve got a lot of folks coming into the region ... who may have never used public transit before,” said Rich Andreski, chief of staff of rail operations for NJ Transit. “And virtually nobody — at least, I hope nobody — is going to be walking to the game.”

Visit www.nynjsuperbowl.com to find information on how to prepare for the Super Bowl VLVIII.