CIB loss from Super Bowl in line with projections

Preliminary financial figures show the Indianapolis board that manages local sports and convention facilties is expected to keep its financial loss from Super Bowl expenses below $1 million.

As IBJ reported prior to the game in February, the Capital Improvement Board of Marion County anticipated an $810,000 shortfall by incurring $8 million in expenses on revenue of $7.2 million.

On Monday, CIB leaders reported the first piece of a total financial picture that won’t be known until later this month. But what they’ve determined so far is that the CIB has sustained a nearly $350,000 operating loss on items it was unable to bill to the National Football League. They include insurance costs and legal fees to prepare contracts.

But two large outstanding factors that will alter the figure are the amount the CIB will reimburse the city for providing police security compared with how much extra it accumulated in hotel and food and beverage taxes.

The CIB budgeted to reimburse the city $4 million for security and estimated taking in about $3 million in increased tax collections from late January and early February due to the Super Bowl. Late Monday afternoon, the city billed the CIB just over $3.9 million for police protection, slightly less than what it had anticipated.

“What we really have today is a partial piece of the picture,” CIB President Ann Lathrop said. “It could be close to the $800,000, but it could be less.”

Lathrop said the CIB never expected to profit from the Super Bowl and noted that any loss it incurred would be well worth the exposure Indianapolis received from the game and the boost to local businesses the event created.

Visitors spent nearly $200 million at local establishments during the festivities leading up to the game.

“It’s not just the numbers,” she said, “it’s the [city’s] brand.”

CIB relies heavily on hotel and food and beverage taxes, in addition to admissions and auto rental taxes, to generate annual revenue to operate its facilities.

Besides Lucas Oil Stadium, CIB manages Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Victory Field and the Indiana Convention Center.

CIB anticipates pocketing $3 million from the Super Bowl in additional tax revenue: $2.4 million in hotel taxes, $440,000 in food and beverage taxes, and $100,000 in auto-rental taxes.

An additional $794,000 in collected taxes will be paid to the state of Indiana to help pare down debt related to the cost of building the stadium and convention center.

The total tax revenue generated during the days surrounding the Super Bowl equates to what the board typically earns from taxes in an entire month, the CIB has said.

Hotels and restaurants, however, didn’t tax National Football League employees. They were exempt from paying taxes, according to an Indiana Department of Revenue directive.

The NFL used its tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(6) to avoid paying the taxes, in addition to fuel, auto rental and admissions taxes.

CIB also didn’t receive food-and-beverage tax money from concessions sold inside Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center as it normally does. Instead, the National Football League pocketed that chunk of revenue.
 
CIB’s overall 2012 operating budget is $113.4 million, including a reserve of $10.8 million.