San José Scores Big During Super Bowl Week

Sold-out concerts, record sales for local businesses, and increased foot traffic mark a successful week for the city

 

SAN JOSÉ, CA – The City of San José celebrates the successful close of Super Bowl week, a moment that brought thousands of visitors, energized local businesses and showcased San José as a vibrant hub of culture, commerce and community spirit. From packed streets and fan festivals to a measurable boost in economic activity across downtown, this year’s Super Bowl festivities reaffirmed San José’s role as an essential part of the Bay Area’s broader Super Bowl celebration, which brought an estimated $500 million to the entire region.

“Super Bowl week showed what San José is capable of delivering — fun, memorable and accessible fan experiences for visitors and residents alike, especially for those who could not attend the game itself,” said Mayor Matt Mahan. “Compared to ten years ago, we’ve closed the gap significantly, and this momentum sets us up well for an exciting year ahead with major events like the World Cup and NCAA West Regional bringing even more people to San José.”

That momentum began before visitors ever reached Downtown. Ensuring a successful Super Bowl week started — and ended — at the airport, where San José Mineta International Airport delivered seamless operations throughout the 12-day Super Bowl travel period from Jan. 30 through Feb. 10. During that time, nearly 130,000 passengers traveled through SJC — an average of 10,800 per day — while more than 900 private jet take-offs and landings were accommodated between February 4 and February 9. February 9 marked the busiest day, with 20,600 passengers, representing an 84.9% increase compared to the same weekday last year. The airport also facilitated the arrival and departure of both Super Bowl teams, eight friends-and-family charter flights, and an additional 234 commercial flights through close coordination with airlines, TSA, FAA, ground handlers, law enforcement, and regional partners.

“I am proud to have welcomed visitors to Fly, Stay, and Play in San José,” said City Manager Jennifer Maguire. “The Super Bowl was the first in a series of major events that will further establish San José as the South Bay’s hub for sports, arts, and entertainment - building lasting civic pride while delivering meaningful economic benefits for our community.

As visitors arrived, Super Bowl week officially kicked off with Super Bowl Opening Night, hosted at the San José McEnery Convention Center. The event generated 7,220 visits — a 1,237% increase compared to the same day last year — with nearly 40% of attendees traveling from more than 250 miles away, underscoring San José’s ability to attract national and international audiences while serving as a central stage for Super Bowl week programming.

“The journey to San José '26 began in 2023 with a bold vision to showcase the very best of our city, and the results have been nothing short of extraordinary. The events surrounding Super Bowl LX in downtown San José were a tremendous success, bringing record-breaking revenue to our local businesses and creating unforgettable experiences for our community,” said John Poch, Executive Director, San Jose Sports Authority. “From sold-out concerts with Kehlani and Dom Dolla to the vibrant San Pedro SuperFest and mesmerizing drone shows, San José truly became the place to Fly, Stay, and Play. We are incredibly proud of the San Jose Sports Authority team and our San José '26 partners for their dedication and leadership in delivering a true Super Bowl experience that highlighted the energy and diversity of our city.”

From January 31 through February 8, downtown San José welcomed 459,200 unique visitors, representing a nearly 25% year-over-year increase. Preliminary hotel performance through February 7, exceeded expectations and significantly outpaced results from Super Bowl 50. Hotel occupancy rose 21% compared to the Super Bowl held here in 2016, while hotel revenue increased 45%. Year over year, occupancy climbed 30% and revenue surged 107% — a clear indication that Super Bowl week delivered substantial economic returns for San José hotels.

Restaurants and retail establishments reported record-setting sales throughout Super Bowl weekend, including Nuvo Hospitality, which saw sales increase by more than 300% across its locations compared to a typical weekend this time of year. Owners of San Pedro Square Market also reported eclipsing their previous single-day sales record. San Pedro Square served as the home of San Pedro Superfest, a three-day activation that garnered nearly 48,000 residents and visitors together to experience a 100-yard artificial turf field, local vendor marketplaces, an innovative technology display from Joby Aviation, and live performances by local musical acts on the main stage. The City of San José also opened City Hall for sold-out outdoor concerts on February 6, and February 7, headlined by Kehlani and Dom Dolla, selling 15,000 and 10,000 tickets respectively.

“This was without question the busiest weekend San Pedro Square Market has ever experienced. Saturday alone shattered our previous single-day sales record by more than 30%, and throughout the weekend the Market felt like a nonstop Sharks game rush for nearly seven straight hours,” said John Burroughs, Operations Manager of San Pedro Square Market. “Many of our vendors had overstocked in anticipation—and still sold out of food and drinks by the end of the game. The energy, turnout, and demand were unlike anything we’ve seen before and underscore the incredible appetite for major events in Downtown San José.”

As the City of San José and its sports partners turn the page on the Super Bowl, attention now shifts to what’s next — including major upcoming events such as the NCAA West Regional and FIFA World Cup. Building on the energy of Super Bowl week, a three-day music festival, Music Mania, has already been announced for March 27–29 to coincide with the NCAA West Regional games. The festival will feature a diverse lineup spanning heavy-hitting bass, global pop, and chart-topping country, delivering a memorable, citywide experience for fans and visitors of all musical tastes.