Photo by Glendale Media Center

Like most government-owned cable channels, Glendale’s operated out of a rickety basement without a lot of fanfare. Then the Super Bowl decided to come to town.

Now, the city has the only high-definition government TV studio in town, adjacent to a multimillion-dollar media center worthy of prime time.

It’s just one of the many sweetheart upgrades the city decided to splurge for in preparation of the big game, which descends on this humble town February 3. Glendale needed a place to accommodate the hordes of international media that will drop tripod in the city to cover the game and fanfare all week long.

“Channel 11 operated in an extremely outdated studio in a sub-basement of city hall – not even a basement – which is by no means a good setup for anybody,” says Jennifer Liewer, spokeswoman for the city. “We realized we had a huge need for media workspace.”

So the city partnered with developer John Q. Hammons. It borrowed $70 million in bonds to build the Glendale Conference Center, tacking on a state-of-the-art media center to the third and fourth floors, next to Hammon’s Marriott Renaissance Hotel.

“To build a facility like that stand-alone wasn’t financially feasible, but to combine it with other projects made an opportunity for us,” Liewer says.

There are wrap-around windows and rooftop platforms, ideal for panoramic views and unobstructed shots of University of Phoenix Stadium, Jobing.com Arena and Westgate City Center. The city dropped fiber-optic cables at all three locations so that TV shows can broadcast from the media center with live shots of the action.

Some well-known programs will get cozy there this month. The Fox News Network will broadcast from the media center the entire week of the Super Bowl. CNN, Fox Sports Arizona and all the local affiliates will be there, too. As of press time, the ABC news affiliate was considering broadcasting there, and Boston and Dallas TV stations scouted out the facility before teams were announced.

HBO Sports is constructing the most elaborate set – on top of the center’s parking garage. Construction crews will employ cranes to build the entire set just days before the game, so that Bob Costas and Dan Marino can sound off on Inside the NFL.

So what happens when Bob Costas packs up his matte foundation?

Glendale will rent out the media center to groups and production companies. And residents will have a pretty swanky Channel 11.