by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee has a checklist for the 2005 game about a mile long. Topping that list — and leaving the thousand other things well behind — is accommodations for the 60,000-75,000 people expected to flood the First Coast the week of the game.
While there will be a smattering of ticket-holding fans staying at condos, rented homes and long-reserved rooms at obscure hotels and bed and breakfasts, a vast majority of those coming to town will be corporate guests of the National Football League. And, it’s the job of Pat Duncan, the director of lodging and accommodations for the Host Committee, to assure the groups that will come from all over the world will have high-class rooms.
As of today, Duncan is around two-thirds of the way home, far more than previously reported. With 30 signed contracts in hand, the Host Committee has received commitments from hotels between Daytona and Brunswick, Ga. for approximately 7,000 rooms. With another 6,000 being provided by cruise ships, the Host Committee is still about 5,000 rooms short — and the clock is ticking.
The trick now is to convince the other third of the hotels to honor their verbal commitments and return the NFL-provided contract that asks them to simply set aside their rooms for the week of the game in order for the NFL to make hotel assignments in September 2004.
Jaguars minority owner Tom Petway stressed the importance of securing hotels rooms in order for the Host Committee to concentrate on other Super Bowl-related items.
“Our entire community is counting on the hospitality industry to make good on the commitment they made to the NFL in November 200,” said Petway. “The Host Committee has an internal deadline of finalizing hotel and cruise ship contracts by the end of this calendar year and I remain optimistic we will meet that goal. Our community has a history of coming together for the common good and I am confident that this will be no exception.”
Duncan and other Host Committee officials believe there are a couple reasons it’s taking longer than expected for the Host Committee to check off the biggest item on the “to-do” list.
“As you look at it, Jacksonville is not a major convention center city.” said Duncan, adding that many local hotels have been asked to commit their entire inventory so far out.
“There’s also a lot of turnover in the hospitality industry,” said Heather Surface, director of communications for the Host Committee. “The general manager or sales director we dealt with two years ago may not be the one we are dealing with now. And, it may not be the one we are dealing with in two years.”
Another obstacle the Host Committee is working against is absentee management. According to Duncan and Surface, many of the hotels are managed in-house, but corporate decisions are made by managers and attorneys in other cities. That element is creating another hurdle of decision-making that must be cleared.
Duncan said signed contracts are coming in every day and he, like Host Committee president and COO Mike Kelly, believes the Host Committee will be able to move on before the end of the year.
“I wanted this done in the fall. That was my personal date,” said Duncan. “But realistically it could be the end of the year.”
Within the next few weeks, Duncan and members of the Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau will hit the road in pursuit of the remaining contracts. And, they have to go in every direction.
“The sampling is from all over, not one specific area,” said Duncan. “I’d like to get the issue resolved as soon as possible. I would not say it’s critical, but it’s important and we want to put it behind us.
“We have an obligation for 17,500 rooms. I can’t tell you how important that is.”