INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Among Super Bowl host cities, Indianapolis might be considered the little engine that could.

It lacks Miami's glamour, thes corporate presence of Dallas and New York-New Jersey, Arizona's desert warmth and New Orleans' allure. Indy clearly faced an uphill battle to win the 2012 Super Bowl pitting the New England Patriots against the New York Giants Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium

But Indy accomplished something no other city bidding for the game had: It raised the $25 million needed to host the game in advance, all from private money.

Fred Glass, who led the city's failed effort to win the 2011 game, said being able to show 32 NFL owners a portfolio of letters promising all of the money "showed the owners we were serious."