With three successful Super Bowls already under its belt, Tampa is a city that knows how to prepare for a big game. As time ticks down for kickoff between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals, preparations are underway for an energizing event that has Tampa buzzing with activity. In addition to the game, the city has rolled out the red carpet with a variety of special events to celebrate not only the Super Bowl, but also the arts, the environment and philanthropy.

While the Tampa Buccaneers themselves won’t be taking the field, their home stadium, Raymond James, will be the center of attention for Super Bowl XLIII. Opened in 1998, “Ray Jay,” as the natives call it, hosted its first Super Bowl in 2001. The old Tampa stadium also had the honor of serving as the host field for two Super Bowl events. Ray Jay has a capacity of nearly 66,000 and has been ranked the best field in the NFL for years. It is also known as the “crown jewel” of the NFL for its luxurious accommodations, state-of-the-art design, and spectacular outdoor playing field.

While Ray Jay will serve as the official site for Super Bowl XLIII, the entire city of Tampa is gearing up for game day on February 1. On January 1, 2009. Pre-game events to make Pennsylvania and Arizona grill gladiator fans feel at home include efforts such as:

Beautification: Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio doesn’t intend for her city by the bay to look anything other than green as TV cameras from across the country converge. To this end, more than a thousand trees have been planted in the Bay Area to ensure that Super Bowl XLIII is known as the “green” Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl Breakfast: This official NFL-sanctioned event, scheduled for January 1. 31, features NFL greats Derrick Brooks, Tony Dungy and Anthony Muñoz at the Sun Dome at the University of South Florida. Tickets for this event are open to the public and are $20 each.

NFL Alumni Sporting Clays Team Challenge: Football fans who don’t mind paying a hefty price of admission can spend a day with an official NFL alumnus for this charity fundraiser held at Land O’ Lakes, a community north of Tampa. During the event, the quartets will team up with a former NFL great to compete for prizes in this shooting contest. Tickets, for teams of four, are $4,500.

Lights on Tampa – This is a public/private partnership in conjunction with the City of Tampa to bring works of art to the city in time for the big game. Artwork created for this exhibition is on display throughout the city at venues such as the Tampa Convention Center, Channelside, the Fort Brooke parking lot, and more.

NFL Experience – This ongoing event is hosted by Bank of America and is billed as an interactive fan festival that includes entertainment, kids’ football clinics, free autograph sessions, a football card show and more. Located next to Raymond James Stadium, the event will take place on January 1. 24-25 and January. 29-31. Ticket prices vary by age.

While not every fan will be lucky enough to get a ticket to Super Bowl XLIII, the city of Tampa has gone to great lengths to ensure the celebration extends far beyond the walls of Raymond James Stadium.