Super Bowl governors betting on tourism

HARRISBURG - With just days to go before the Super Bowl, the governors of Pennsylvania and Arizona last night finalized the obligatory public wager - and are using it as a tourism promotional pitch.

Gov. Rendell and Arizona's new chief executive, Jan Brewer, each put up a three-night vacation package in their respective Super Bowl team cities.

If the Arizona Cardinals win, Rendell has to provide, among other things, a trip on the Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh, dinner for two at Le Mont (his administration describes the restaurant as one of the Steel City's finest), and two seats for either a Pirates, Steelers or Penguins game.

A Pittsburgh Steelers victory would mean Brewer has to come up with three nights at the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa in Litchfield Park, Ariz.; two rounds of golf; and two seats for a Cardinals, Suns, Diamondbacks or Coyotes game.

If Rendell wins, he plans to give the package away through an essay contest to the person who best expounds on this thought: Why is Pittsburgh an attractive place to visit?

Chuck Ardo, Rendell's spokesman, called it a good bet "because we believe that Pittsburgh is as attractive to people of Arizona as Arizona is to people of Pittsburgh."

Even in the winter?

"If you like ice fishing," Ardo said. "There is damn little ice fishing in Arizona."