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Pro Bowl will
stay in Hawaii

The NFL said today that the
game is sold out for the 17th
consecutive year

More on the Pro Bowl
Football mascot fun

By Paul Arnett
Star-Bulletin

The National Football League's Pro Bowl will stay in Hawaii through 2005.

Terms of a new four-year extension for the all-star game, reached yesterday, have not been released. But it is believed that the state will pay about $20 million. The NFL announced this morning the game is a sellout for the 17th consecutive year.

"For all of us old-timers, we may think of the Pro Bowl as being an L.A. event," NFL senior vice president Joe Browne said. "But at the conclusion of this current deal, the game will have been played in Hawaii more than any other city.

"In 1967, the Super Bowl was a single three-hour event. And in 1980, the Pro Bowl here was a single three-hour event. Both games have developed week-long activities that are very attractive to our NFL fans.

"The reason the game has been so successful here is the cooperation from the governor on down to the service people in the hotels," Browne said. "The people of Hawaii have supported this game and helped make it what it is today."

Associated Press
Tennessee Titan Eddie George catches the ball during
AFC practice for the Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium yesterday.
The National Football League will be playing the Pro Bowl
in Hawaii through 2005. Terms of a new four-year extension
for the all-star game, reached yesterday, have not been
released. But it is believed that the state will
pay about $20 million.

Mark Rolfing, who is the chairman of the events committee for the Hawaii Tourism Authority, said yesterday that the new contract has to be approved by the tourism authority board next Wednesday and by the NFL owners.

"But it looks really good at this point," a relieved Rolfing said. "The last few days have been very stressful. I'm pleased with the arrangements of the new contract.

"The NFL has worked hard to give us added value and potential revenue sources. We should get a good rate of return on our investment."

This year's Pro Bowl is part of an all-star double-header with the National Hockey League that will be shown in prime time on ABC-TV.

Rolfing noted that there are many network and cable telecasts generated by the Pro Bowl, including the Battle of the Gridiron, the Children's Miracle Network golf tournament, the Alumni Beach Bowl and the Quarterback Challenge on Kauai.

"This is not just a one-time event," Rolfing said. "There are nine television shows generated from this game that are all set in Hawaii. They are shown throughout the year, so it keeps Hawaii on people's mind for more than just this one week."

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Football mascot finds
miraculous meal

By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
The Carolina Panther gnaws a bit on Jose Vicente Munoz, 10, a
Miracle Kid, at the Ace Hardware/NFL Charities Golf Shootout at
Ko Olina, a benefit for the Children's Miracle Network and
Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. Munoz
also won Super Bowl tickets for the game last weekend.
Below, Michelle Sato, 12, another Miracle Kid, gets a hug from
Michael Strahan of the New York Giants after he hits from a
sand trap at Ko Olina. Miracle Kids, children successfully
treated at Kapiolani, served as honorary caddies
for nine football stars during the event.

---

The current contract was due to expire in 2003. Hawaii had the game next year with the NFL having the option to move it to Orlando, Fla., in 2002 or 2003.

"And that was a real threat," City Councilman Mufi Hannemann said yesterday. "I was there in 1992 when Orlando first tried to take the game away from us and again in 1997 and even this year. What we've done over the past eight years is show the NFL we are a sophisticated city when it comes to pro sports. This game and all the events that go with it is an extravaganza."

Hannemann was at yesterday's kickoff rally at Aloha Stadium. He said the game not only has a $100 million impact on the local economy, but benefits nonprofit organizations as well.

"This event helped raise $100,000 for 10 charities," Hannemann said. "And when you factor in all the concessions this game produces, that figure is really between $200,000 and $300,000.

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen was also in town this week to help with the negotiations. He and Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan played golf yesterday with Hawaii's June Jones.

"This state is perfect for the game," Jones said. "When it was in Los Angeles, there were always 25 to 35 (players) no-shows. The bottom line is, the players want the game to be here. They enjoy the trip and all of the things Hawaii has to offer."