Although the Miami Dolphins did not make it to the Super Bowl, South Florida scored big in Sunday’s game. It has been reported that the region earned over $350 million from business directly related to the Super Bowl, and the Pro Bowl played at Sunlife Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Reports also indicate that hotels in the region did brisk business in the days preceding the Pro Bowl to Monday, the day after the Super Bowl. Most of the hotels in Broward County and on Miami Beach had full occupancy, and other hotels in Miami-Dade reported up to 90 percent occupancy.

However, visitors for the two big games not only stayed in hotels. The more economically minded took advantage of facilities rented by homeowners in proximity to the stadium.

New Orleans Saints fans, Teisha Mayer and her friends, visiting from New Orleans, rented two furnished rooms in a home only minutes from the stadium. Mayer said, “That was a very good deal. We got a ‘full-house’ breakfast, lovely, clean, air-conditioned rooms, for only $80 a night. That’s better than any hotel rate, plus we could walk to and from the stadium.”

The homeowner said those two rooms were rented out to two different sets of occupants during the period January 29 to February 8, bringing in well over $3,000.

However, it seems that visitors were more interested in renting rooms than entire houses. Two residents who prepared their homes for rent did not succeed in renting them. “Visitors wanted rooms and room service,” said Ralph Blissett, who was disappointed that his three bedroom house was not rented. “But I still was able to get two rooms rented, so I did not make out too badly.”

Shops that specialized in selling T-shirts, assorted clothing and souvenirs, also did whopping business over the one week period. Gem Vasquez, who operates a Collins Ave store specializing in ‘tie and dye’ garments, said that her sales quadrupled over the period, and business was so good for the two days before the Super Bowl game, she was almost sold out.

Rasheed Lamont, operator of a small souvenir store near Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, said “Business was very brisk. Those visitors were hungry for Floridian souvenirs.”

Restaurants, bars and night clubs also did well. Mayer said she, her friends, and other visitors from New Orleans, were thrilled to see so many Caribbean restaurants in South Florida. “Many Caribbean dishes are spicy, similar to New Orleans cuisine, and we found good Caribbean restaurants in Miami and the Fort Lauderdale area.”

A local company, Atlas Embroidery and Screen Printing, the only company authorized in South Florida to print official NFL shirts, made a bonanza printing and distributing thousands of New Orleans Saints Championship tees, providing jobs for over 50 workers, over the last couple of weeks. The company also had graphics prepared for printing Indianapolis Colts T-shirts, had the Colts won the Super Bowl.

The region should benefit significantly from the exposure offered by the live telecast of the Super Bowl, which drew a record American audience of 106 million viewers. People living in freezing temperatures saw shots of warm Miami with people dressed in shorts and short sleeves. This should have a positive effect for Miami’s tourism for the remainder of the winter. In fact, several hotel owners in Broward said that they are solidly booked for the next month, and most of the pending guests are from up north.

The 44th Super Bowl was so successful, that already the South Florida Super Bowl Committee is busy preparing a proposal (to be submitted by April) to host the 2014 game in Miami Gardens.