Tampa business excited for positive economic impact of Super Bowl LV

Super Bowl LV preparations are underway to ensure it’s a memorable and safe experience for everyone during the pandemic.

Many Tampa business once struggling to make ends meet are now able to hire employees back all thanks to the big game.

Either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the Kansas City Chiefs will walk off the field as the champions, but leading up Super Bowl Sunday, it’s business owners such as Amber Benjamin who are winning.

“It’s going to be huge,” Benjamin said. “We lost a lot due to COIVD just like everyone else did, and this could be huge for us. This can bring us back to where we need to be.”

Benjamin has been shut down since March, but thanks to the Super Bowl live experience, she’s finally up and running again and brought back some of her employees.

“It’s nostalgic. These are our roots,” Benjamin said. “We work events, so it feels really good to be able to give hours to my employees that were let go because of COVID in March. It’s just a lot of good feelings. I honestly haven’t felt this good since March.”

Thousands have already reserved their spot to attend the Super Bowl live experience, and locals know, after months of struggling, this is a great way to get back on their feet.

Locals we spoke to are excited for the positive economic impact the Super Bowl will bring the Tampa Bay area while also remaining conscious of the pandemic.

“People from all over the country going to come here, so I think it’s going to be good for the small businesses,” Apollo Nava said. “I just hope everybody is taking the precautions that they need and wearing their mask. Making sure that they’re not exposing anybody, I think that’s more important.”