ATLANTA -- The NFL draft is heading to Music City and the Super Bowl is heading back to New Orleans for the 11th time.
League owners awarded the 2019 draft to Nashville during their annual spring meetings on Wednesday, clearly impressed with the city's turnout for events such as the NHL Stanley Cup Final and a party to unveil redesigned uniforms for the Tennessee Titans.
"You're now on the clock," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell quipped to the Nashville contingent, led by Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk.
NFL owners also decided the Super Bowl will make its fourth stop in Arizona. They voted unanimously on the New Orleans and Arizona sites Wednesday in Atlanta, which will host the 2019 Super Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The draft was held in New York City from 1965-2014, but the league has been moving it to different cities in recent years, looking to bolster its profile even higher.
Chicago was the site in 2015-16, Philadelphia hosted in 2017 and this year's draft was held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys.
"It has become one of the most anticipated events of the year," Goodell said. "It's one of the events we're continually focused on (to determine) how we can to be more effective, larger and frankly, an opportunity for our fans to engage in football during the offseason. We had a great experience in Dallas this year. They did a wonderful job."
Now, Nashville will be hosting for the first time.
"It's a big day for Nashville," Strunk said. "Being entrusted with one of the league's premier gatherings is an honor and a responsibility that we take seriously."
Nashville was chosen over several other bids, including a combined one from Cleveland and Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Northeast Ohio group remains hopeful to land the 2020 draft, which would coincide with the league's centennial.
Nashville's bid was boosted by tens of thousands of people turning out last year for a party that shut down a big section of downtown when the Predators played for the Stanley Cup. Also, some 20,000 turned out on a cold night in April to see the Titans' new uniforms and attend a free concert by Florida Georgia Line.
The city hosted the 2003 NHL entry draft, the 2014 Women's Final Four and the 2016 NHL All-Star Game.
"As we all know, Nashville has a well-deserved reputation as a city that loves the big stage, loves the big party and, more importantly, knows how to throw a big party," Strunk said.
The 2023 Super Bowl will be played at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., while New Orleans' Mercedes-Benz Superdome will host in 2024.
Saints owner Gayle Benson, whose husband Tom Benson passed away in March, appreciated that the vote took only 60 seconds to complete. She attributed the quick tally to New Orleans' unique culture.
"It's different from any other city that we have around," she said. "We just have so many things to offer -- the food, the culture, the hotels. We've got it all. It should be (there) every year."
This will be eighth time the game is held at the 43-year-old Superdome, more than any other stadium. Its most recent Super Bowl was in 2013, which is remembered for the power going out during the second half, resulting in a 34-minute delay.
The retractable roof stadium in suburban Phoenix previously held the Super Bowl in 2008 and 2015.
"We're thrilled by the unanimous vote and we look forward to making this the most fan-friendly Super Bowl in the history of Super Bowls and bigger and better than any Super Bowl," Cardinals president Michael Bidwill said.
Both teams have major stadium renovations planned. Benson said the Mercedes-Benz Superdome will soon begin an overhaul. Bidwill said work has already begun on University of Phoenix Stadium.
"Yes, we've already completed a number of renovations, but $100 million worth of renovations will be done by the Super Bowl of 2023," Bidwill told The Associated Press.
After this season's game in Atlanta, the next three Super Bowls will be held at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium (2020), Raymond James Stadium in Tampa (2021) and the new Hollywood Park stadium in Los Angeles (2022).
Sports on 05/24/2018