National Football League

Super Bowl XLIX Countdown is officially underway with clock unveiling

Published Dec. 3, 2014 4:41 p.m. ET

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PHOENIX -- With Super Bowl XLIX 60 days away, the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee amped the anticipation Wednesday by unveiling the First Solar Countdown Clock at 1st Street and Jefferson in downtown Phoenix. First Solar, one of the host committee's major corporate sponsors, was the mastermind behind the clock.

The solar-powered clock, standing 13 feet tall and 110 inches wide, marks the beginning of downtown Phoenix's transformation into what will be Super Bowl Central in late January. The clock will count down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until kickoff on Feb. 1.

Beginning Jan. 28, 12 city blocks will be marked off and designated as the official Super Bowl Central. According to the Host Committee, the football-themed campus will feature the NFL Experience and will be home to outdoor performances by local musicians and national recording artists as well as an autograph stage, the iconic Super Bowl XLIX Roman Numerals and a beer garden.

First Solar embraced the opportunity to partner with the Super Bowl Host Committee. "We felt like our involvement with the Super Bowl committee would give us the ability to demonstrate that the Valley can support world-class companies with global capabilities," First Solar CEO Jim Hughes. "We also felt that this was an event that would help the valley demonstrate that it's a world-class metroplex with world-class amenities and the ability to support a world-class event."

Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee chairman Dave Rousseau applauded First Solar's contribution. "It's a great symbol and illustration of First Solar's commitment to this significant undertaking that is a community-wide effort."

Rousseau said the decision to station Super Bowl Central in the heart of downtown Phoenix rather than Glendale was inspired by Indianapolis, where the convention center and sports venues are all located downtown.

"I think our Valley is certainly more regionally situated with our stadium in Glendale, so there was certainly that discussion, but I think that the investments that have been made in downtown Phoenix, with the convention center, light rail, downtown hotels, sort of made that decision an easy one," said Rousseau.

Super Bowl Central will open Jan. 28 and run through Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 1. 

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