With three successful Super Bowl's already to its credit, Tampa is a city that knows how to prepare for a big game. As the clock runs down for the kickoff between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals, preparations are well under way for an energizing event that has Tampa abuzz 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 arts, the environment and philanthropy.

While Tampa's own Buccaneers won't take the field, their home stadium, Raymond James, will be the focal point of attention for Super Bowl XLIII. Unveiled in 1998, "Ray Jay," as it's called by natives, hosted its first super bowl in 2001. The former Tampa Stadium also had the honors of serving as the host field for two super bowl events. Ray Jay has a capacity of nearly 66,000 and has been ranked as the best field in the NFL for years. It's also known as the "crown jewel" of the NFL for its deluxe accommodations, state-of-the-art design and spectacular, open-air 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, Feb. 1, 2009. Pre-game events to make fans of the gridiron gladiators from Pennsylvania and Arizona right at home include such efforts as:

Beautification - Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio doesn't intend for her city by the bay to look anything but green when television cameras from all over 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, set for Jan. 31, features NFL greats Derrick Brooks, Tony Dungy and Anthony Munoz at the University of South Florida's Sun Dome. Tickets for this event are open to the public and cost $20 each.

NFL Alumni Sporting Clays Team Challenge - Football fans who don't mind paying a hefty entry price can spend a day with an official NFL Alumni for this charity fundraiser that takes place in Land O' Lakes, a community just north of Tampa. During the event, foursomes will be teamed 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. Works of art that have been created for this exhibition are on display throughout the city at such venues as the Tampa Convention Center, Channelside, the Fort Brooke Parking Garage and more.

NFL Experience - This ongoing event is hosted by Bank of America and is billed as an interactive fan festival that includes entertainment, children's football clinics, free autograph sessions, a football card show and more. Located adjacent to Raymond James Stadium, the event runs Jan. 24-25 and Jan. 29-31. Ticket prices vary based on age.

While not every fan will be lucky enough to score a ticket to Super Bowl XLIII, the city of Tampa has pulled out the stops to make sure the celebration extends well beyond the walls of Raymond James Stadium.