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Super houses: For $250,000, rent a mansion for big game

Martin Rogers
USA TODAY Sports

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Ryan Liebentritt is standing by a luxurious infinity pool on the outer deck of an $11 million cliff-side mansion, with a postcard view of the Arizona sunset stretched out in front of him. And yet ... he's stressed.

"This is the Super Bowl," Liebentritt said. "Which means it is madness."

For Liebentritt and other high-end realty specialists, madness also means money, as the influx of Super Bowl XLIX guests seeking spectacular properties for the week has sent the elite end of the vacation rental market into overdrive.

While Sunday's showpiece will take place at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, the glitziest parties and most opulent accommodation is to be found 20 miles east, in the upscale city of Scottsdale.

Famous guests from sports, music and entertainment will descend from locations far and wide and seem happy to pay for creature comforts most regular fans can only dream of.

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Properties such as the one Liebentritt's company Holidayrental.com has leased to a "major celebrity" go for $250,000 and above for the week of football's biggest game — more than five times the rate for a typical week — with additional services such as jet transport, limo service, personal chefs and butlers potentially adding another $200,000 to the tab.

To command such fees, the highest level of luxury is demanded, which is why Liebentritt was hurriedly coordinating his staff to complete final maintenance checks at "Camelback Vista" when USA TODAY Sports visited last week.

"Everything has to be perfect," he said as he reviewed the readiness of amenities such as a rock climbing wall, golf chipping greens, a cinema room, custom fireplaces and the cantilevered pool. "The people who rent homes like this are paying a lot of money and expect the best quality, just like they are used to at home."

Scottsdale is a year-round destination for the celebrity crowd. If Los Angeles is where you want to go to get noticed, Scottsdale offers luxury mixed with a more relaxed vibe.

"We love having the celebrities here and, of course, the Super Bowl takes things to a new level in that regard," Scottsdale Mayor W. J. "Jim" Lane said. "But this is not the kind of place where celebrities are going to be bothered. We love having them here, but we are happy to give them their privacy."

While the handful of uber-extravagant mansions provide the most jaw-dropping visuals, there is also a booming Super Bowl market in houses that do not stretch quite as far into the realms of fantasy, while still being expensive enough to put a serious dent in one's wallet.

Local homeowner Walt Passolt is renting out his 3,200-square-foot Scottsdale house for $30,000 through the Super Bowl and quickly figured out that the way to stand out among the football visitors was to add special features.

Passolt's outdoor deck includes a huge poolside television, a waterfall controlled from an iPhone, a Jacuzzi and a stocked bar.

"The Super Bowl is supposed to be the ultimate party," Passolt said. "You get groups of people who want to come and have a special experience and make this the highlight of their year. I've turned this into the ultimate Super Bowl party house."

With Scottsdale's hottest nightspots just a couple of streets away, Passolt says his house and others in the area give visitors a "taste of the high life."

Or even the chance to live like a Super Bowl champion.

One of the more fascinating properties in Liebentritt's portfolio is a house that until recently belonged to former St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner.

It was snapped up by an investor at auction, will rent for $150,000 this week and includes a lap pool, a trampoline built into the ground, a cinema room and a round-the-clock team of attentive staff to prepare meals and perform cleaning services.

Having spent that amount and with all the amenities, it might be tempting to stay in, because Scottsdale's party scene is well-prepared for Super Bowl crowds.

"This town parties like a champ all the time," Passolt said. "But it's been waiting for the Super Bowl to come back for seven years. It's ready to rock."

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