"We got the bid in 2009, and we have been working non-stop ever since," Romig said. "Now, we're in the countdown phase."
And the payoff phase.
The economic impact will be upward of half a billion dollars— 40-percent more than the last time New Orleans hosted the big game in 2002.
But more than that, the infrastructure is now in place for future events —BCS title game, Final Four, etc.
And the expectation is that the Superbowl will be back sooner than the 11-year gap between the last two.
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Regardless of when the game returns, hosting this one is special.
"Americans really need to understand that this is truly an American story," said political commentator Mary Matalin, who is on the Superbowl host committee. "It's not just about football."
It's about the comeback of a city, devastated just seven years ago, and now, even better economically than it was before Katrina.
(Read More: Why Cold Weather Super Bowl Could Be Financial Boon.)
—By CNBC's Brian Shactman; Follow him on Twitter: @bshactman