Volunteers near the giant Roman numerals spelling "LII" in ice on the Nicollet Mall were much busier. The ice sculpture has fast become one of the most popular spots for fans to get Super Bowl photos. To keep the crowds moving, volunteers are discouraging selfies and are taking photos of fans in front of the numerals with the fans' own cameras.
"We're seeing people from all over," said volunteer Kelly Novak of Andover. "People come off the light rail and this is one of the first things they see." Novak, who signed up for three volunteer shifts of four hours each, is having so much fun that she's planning to see if she can get more shifts.
Brett Mauren, a volunteer from Burnsville, had a group of Philadelphia fans come through on Monday. He said he treated them nicely, on orders from his pastor.
"He told us we have to be nice to the people from Philly," Mauren said. "He told us, 'We're going to show them our best, even if we don't mean it.' "
John Reinan