by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Monday’s announcement that the Jazz Festival will return next spring confirmed the suspicions that Mike Land had several months ago when he was told the annual Jacksonville International Boat Show would have to find a new 2003 date.
Mayor John Delaney held a press conference to announce that, after a two-year absence, the sounds of jazz will fill the air twice within the next nine months. In October, the Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum and the Florida Theatre will host The Great American Jazz Piano Competition: A Prelude to the Renaissance. Next spring, the Jazz Festival, which was last held in the fall of 2000, will take place at Metropolitan Park and the Landing the second weekend in April. It’s the Jazz Festival which has forced Land to move the date of the 2003 Boat Show to the last weekend in March.
“It’s not our first choice, but it’s better than nothing,” said Land, who co-produces the Boat Show with Jimmy Hill.
The Boat Show has been a mainstay at Metro Park for the last six years and has grown in popularity. With over 8,000 in attendance, more than 400 boats and vendors from all over the Southeast the show has become a regular on the Florida boat show calendar. Land said being able to consistently have the show the same weekend every year enabled boating enthusiasts and vendors to plan around the Jacksonville show. Moving the show two weeks earlier, which will coincide with The Players Championship, was a decision that Land didn’t want to have to make.
“City Council president [Jerry] Holland kind of forged a compromise for us,” said Land, adding Holland tried to help convince the City’s Special Events Division to allow him to keep the show’s usual dates.
However, Land realizes that he was fighting a losing battle.
“Might makes right and it is their park,” he said.
Wendy Raymond Hacker of the City’s Special Events Division said the second weekend in April was suggested by Ch. 7, one of the event’s sponsors and proved to be the only real viable date.
“Easter is the next weekend,” said Hacker, referring to April 20. “And, the weekend after that is our annual World of Nations celebration, which takes a week to set up.”
Hacker said an earlier date wasn’t attractive because of The Players Championship.
Land said the show is a major facet of the local boating economy.
“It’s an important event for certain people,” said Land. “We attract plenty of fans and it helps some people’s livelihood. Forty percent of the boats sold nationally are sold at boat shows.”
Looking ahead, Land is already in the process of trying secure the second weekend in April for the 2004 show. He has provided Holland with a written request, but also realizes that the boat show may have to remain flexible.
“We would be fine with the third weekend in April,” said Land. “But, in March the weather is too iffy and May is too late because the boating season is in full swing.”