After June nearly equaled February 2005 when Super Bowl XXXIX was played in Jacksonville, October probably won’t be the best month of 2014 for the local hospitality industry, but it could be close.
Anchored by six concerts by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, this month’s list of national- and international-drawing entertainment includes three Jacksonville Jaguars home games, concerts by former Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, and Motley Crue with special guest Alice Cooper. And the last day of this month is the first day of the annual Florida-Georgia college football weekend.
Bill McConnell, SMG Jacksonville general manager, said Ticketmaster reported Brooks fans in all 50 states bought tickets for the shows. Fans from Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom purchased tickets as well.
That many out-of-town concertgoers is having an impact on lodging.
The first three of Brooks’ six concerts were Friday-Sunday at Veterans Memorial Arena. The Hyatt Regency Riverfront and the Omni Hotel reported occupancy of 99 percent and 92 percent, respectively.
The Crowne Plaza and Hilton Garden Inn on the Southbank also reported occupancy rates of at least 90 percent, which is unusual for this month, said Katie Mitura, marketing director for Visit Jacksonville, the Jacksonville and the Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“Historically, travel is down in October, but not this year,” she said.
Visitors also have to eat and drink while they are in town, making last weekend more about cowboy hats than kilts, said Paul Glaser, general manager of Fionn MacCool’s Irish Pub and Restaurant at the Jacksonville Landing.
“It meant huge business for us. Garth Brooks is bringing people Downtown,” he said. “They had dinner, then they went to the show and then they came back after the show.”
Glaser said next weekend could be even better for business and a hint at what the rest of the month could bring.
In addition to three more Brooks shows (Thursday-Saturday), Starr and his All-Starr Band perform Saturday at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts and Motley Crue and Alice Cooper will be on stage Sunday at the arena.
The Cleveland Browns play the Jaguars at EverBank Field on Sunday, followed on Oct. 26 by the Miami Dolphins.
McCartney’s show is Oct. 25 at the arena.
“And the next weekend, it’s Florida-Georgia,” Glaser said. “It’s a huge month for happenings Downtown.”
The hospitality industry isn’t alone in feeling the economic impact of multiple concerts and sports events.
McConnell said more than 500 people are called in to work a full-scale event at the arena when the venue is set up to seat about 14,000 ticket holders. The concert staff includes guest services, concessions and catering, security, parking and housekeeping. With Brooks’ two weekends of concerts followed immediately by the Motley Crue show, it means seven days of work in a 10-day span.
With a small percentage of the 42,000 tickets still available for the three remaining concerts, fans likely won’t be turned away at the box office even on the day of the show, McConnell said.
“When you go to a Garth Brooks show, you know you’re part of something special. He’s the No. 1-selling solo artist of all time. We have the strength of six nights and the shows aren’t all sold out,” he said.
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