Jacksonville’s professional football team is about to get a boost from the area’s largest real estate organization.
After Jag owner Wayne Weaver spoke to 210 at the quarterly meeting earlier this month, NEFAR President Charlene Perez Ferrin announced that she would form a task force of REALTORS top help the Jags and other area attractions.
“We all remember when the Gator Bowl was being played in Gainesville (due to Alltel Stadium construction) and 2,000 of us went down there,” said Ferrin. “They needed help, and we gave it. We can do the same for the Jags, or the Gator Bowl, or anyone else.
“I don’t know what form this task force will take, or who will be on it, but it’s going to get done. And soon.”
Weaver was quick to accept the offer.
“I’m going back to the office right now and have someone get working on this,” he said. ‘The real estate community is vital to every business, and we’re no exception. Something like 25 percent of the homes sold in this market are sold to people who are moving here, and the REALTOR is one of the first points of contact.
‘If we can work together, we’ll all benefit.”
Past NEFAR President George Linville, who organized the Gator Bowl trip, said that the area real estate associations can show their power if they band together.
“Just in NEFAR, we have 3,300 members who do most of the business in this area,” he said. “Add other counties and we have a sizable force to deal with. We can help a lot of people.”
The Jags are trying to regain some community support lost when the team’s fortunes plunged last year. A major effort has been underway since early summer to entice fans, capped by an agreement with Winn-Dixie to buy enough tickets so games would not be blacked out on television.