College Bowl Season Begins in New Orleans

College Bowl Season Begins in New Orleans
With two exciting football bowl games on the way, New Orleans’ Tourism Industry is ready to
welcome fans with plenty of hotel options and unparalleled hospitality and culture

NEW ORLEANS – December 9, 2009 – All eyes are pointing to New Orleans this football season, led by the currently undefeated New Orleans Saints, and college football fans will once again fill the city as the city prepares to welcome two annual college football favorites. The R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl will be played on Sunday, December 20, 2009, with the action kicking off at 7:15 p.m. CST. The 76^th Annual Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. CST on January 1, 2010. After successfully hosting thousands of guests over the Thanksgiving weekend for the annual State Farm Bayou Classic, the Louisiana Superdome is ready to host these two exciting events on its turf.

“The two bowl games are a great opportunity for attendees to experience the holiday season and the authentic, amazing nightlife, music, restaurants, and hospitality of New Orleans and all of the buzz and excitement of actually being in the Crescent City near the Louisiana Superdome,” said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are expecting great crowds from the fans of the University of Florida, the University of Cincinnati, Middle Tennessee State University, and the University of Southern Mississippi, and their rooms are waiting for them.”

• R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: December 20, 2009, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles will battle it out on the field for the R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Festivities include the R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Fan Fest at Fulton Street on Saturday, December 19, 2009, at 5:00 p.m., and free to the public. Fans will enjoy the sounds of Big Sam’s Funky Nation & Ivy, all set against the backdrop of Harrah’s Miracle on Fulton Street. A pre-game tailgate party, featuring the Bucktown All-Stars, kicks off game day activities outside the Louisiana Superdome, beginning at 4:30 p.m. The R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl’s economic impact is $15 million.

• 76^th Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic: Celebrating its 76^th anniversary, this year’s Sugar Bowl game on January 1, 2010, features the University of Florida Gators from the Southeastern Conference and the University of Cincinnati Bearcats from the Big East Conference. This marks the first time that two top five teams have met in a non-championship Sugar Bowl since 1977. Last year’s Sugar Bowl Classic’s estimated economic impact was $167 million. Sugar Bowl festivities include the Allstate Sugar Bowl Fan Fest to be held near Jax Brewery on Decatur Street in the French Quarter on Wednesday, December 30 and Thursday, December 31, Noon until 8:00 p.m., and free to the public. The Fan Fest will include fun interactive activities and music concerts each evening, including the Gin Blossoms on Wednesday and Lady Antebellum on Thursday. Sugar Bowl visitors also can ring in 2010 with a number of New Year’s Eve festivities planned in New Orleans.

With over 21,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the Superdome, 34,700 hotel rooms city-wide and more restaurants open than ever, New Orleans’ hospitality industry is ready to greet football fans from around the country.

For assistance booking your trip to New Orleans, please call 1-800-672-6124 or visit www.neworleanscvb.com. For information on packages and special discounts exclusively for visiting football fans: www.neworleanscvb.com/fan_discounts.

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