We met up with a couple of the six members of the executive board of the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee, which has been at this week's Super Bowl site gathering logistical information that will helm it stage this event in three years.

We'll have more on it in tomorrow's paper, but thought we'd share the answer to the No. 1 question that is on everyone's mind when the discussion is Minneapolis hosting a Super Bowl in late January, where a 27-degree day, like today, is considered a warm day. Remember, it was 7 below zero on this week a year ago.

"As a retailer, I would say now is the time to buy the very best winter clothes," joked Maureen Bausch, CEO of the committee. "Come prepared."

Tentative plans call for an outdoor "Super Bowl Boulevard" along Nicollet Mall, similar to the 12 square blocks that have been set aside as a party venue here in downtown Phoenix.

So how in the world does Minnesota keep visitors happy outdoors in January?

"I think we have to be extra especially warm in our personalities," Bausch said. "I think it's all about people. If we make them feel good, they're going to have a good time. Arizona has done a good job of that even in the rain.

"It's about showcasing our people, our sophisticated marketplace, our innovations. It's about showcasing all that we do in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Minnesota. And changing what people think. We're not Fargo. Not that Fargo is bad. The movie and everything."