Fiesta Bowl Mile Set for Dec. 31 in Phoenix

Officials of the Fiesta Bowl have announced the creation of a world-class mile race expected to be viewed by the largest live audience for an event of that distance.

The Fiesta Bowl Mile will be held Dec. 31 in downtown Phoenix before the Fiesta Bowl Parade. The race will be run down a portion of the parade route down Central Avenue.

Fiesta Bowl officials estimate that half of the projected 500,000 people that will see the parade will also view the race.

Bowl spokesman Tony Alba said the estimated 250,000 people in attendance will “far surpass” the live audience held at any previous mile race. Alba said any mile run held in a stadium would only hold about half as many spectators, and only an estimated 60,000 people viewed New York City’s Fifth Avenue Mile.

Bowl officials have received confirmation from four world-class competitors to participate in the race--Americans Steve Scott and Sydney Maree, Ray Flynn of Ireland and New Zealand’s John Walker.

Alba said the bowl is looking for “at least one more” world-class competitor to participate. He said officials are talking to Olympic 800-meter champion Joaquim Cruz of Brazil, Fifth Avenue Mile winner Frank O’Mara of Ireland, Pierre Deleze of Switzerland and American Jim Spivey, among others.