Super Bowl 50 business hits Santa Cruz

It may be more than seven months away, but the countdown to Super Bowl 50 has begun on the Central Coast. Businesses and hotels in Santa Cruz are gearing up in anticipation of Feb. 7, 2016, when fans will pay big bucks to see the big game.

At Sports Xtreme, owner Jack Patel said he’s already pre-ordered NFL apparel in preparation for the crowd of Super Bowl 50 tourists coming to town.

“This is a lifetime kind of opportunity that never happens for an entire state,” Patel said.

Super Bowl 50 will take place in Santa Clara at Levi Stadium and will be the first for the Bay Area since 1985. Patel is looking forward to the business the big game will bring. He said after the San Francisco Giants World Series win, apparel was selling like crazy. He’s expecting the Super Bowl will be up 50 percent.

The Santa Cruz Visitors Center said come February, more people will be in town and in need of a place to stay. The game couldn’t come at a better time.

“It’s our slower season; it’s winter,” said Christina Glynn, communications director for the Santa Cruz Visitors Center.

Hotels around Santa Cruz are getting calls about rooms for next February and are booking reservations now.

“Expecting to be close to if not at capacity in the days preceding and during Super Bowl 50,” Glynn said.

Back at Sports Xtreme, aside from a likely profitable February, the big question is which teams are going to make it to the Super Bowl?

“We would always like to see our local teams go in; provided the 49ers are in an iffy mode, but you never know,” Patel said.

Local airports are preparing for their own business boom. Some officials we spoke to believe they’ll see more private jets flying in and out of the area because of Super Bowl 50.