ATLANTA -- Indianapolis was awarded the 2012 Super Bowl on Tuesday, the fourth time a cold-weather city will play host to the NFL's championship game.
The new retractable-roof Lucas Oil Stadium was runner-up to Dallas last year for the 2011 Super Bowl. This time, Indianapolis beat out Houston and Arizona for the game, which will be played Feb. 5, 2012, for the title of the 2011 season. Part of the bid includes a pledge by the city to build a practice facility downtown that will be left in place for local residents to use.
"We like coming to new cities and we look forward to being in Indianapolis," commissioner Roger Goodell said in announcing the bid. "We also liked the idea of a donation left for the citizens."
The next two Super Bowls will be in Tampa and Miami Gardens, Fla.
Of the 42 Super Bowls, the three played indoors in cold-weather cities were in Detroit in 1982 and 2006 and in Minneapolis 1992.
Indianapolis wants to create a Super Bowl village downtown -- a pedestrian-friendly area complete with fire pits to make "warm zones."
In its bid, the city touted its $700 million stadium, scheduled to open in August, and its experience hosting major sporting events such as the Indianapolis 500 and the NCAA Final Four.
"This isn't our first rodeo," said Susan Williams, president of the Indiana Sports Corporation. "We have a lot of very experienced volunteers."
