by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
At some point, the Super Bowl becomes less about quarterbacks flinging passes downfield and more about the potential for explosive business opportunities.
Jacksonville and surrounding counties are already getting close to that point.
“This is probably bigger for us than any other cities that have hosted the Super Bowl,” said Michael Kelly. “With our being a first-time host in the smallest market to ever host the game, this will bring a notoriety and awareness we couldn’t get any other way. “
Kelly, president of the Super Bowl Host Committee, brought a message last week to the Economic Development Council of the St. Augustine & St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce.
The message was that 2005 Super Bowl will bring unprecedented exposure and a host of possibilities to the region — especially as more individuals, municipalities and businesses get involved.
About 100,000 people are expected to visit Jacksonville for the Super Bowl, being held Feb. 6, 2005, Kelly said. Of the expected 3,000 journalists, 400 to 500 will be from other countries.
“We’re not simply talking about the exposure we’ll get in the United States, but throughout the world,” said Kelly. “When it comes to being noticed, getting recognized, that comes on game day. And last year, 800 million people throughout the world watched the game.”
The economic impact of the Super Bowl is felt before game day and is expected to reverberate long after the teams have left town. It also hits an area much wider than just Jacksonville.
The Super Bowl region is “pretty expansive,” extending from Georgia’s Golden Isles to the north, Daytona Beach to the south and Lake City to the west, said Heather Surface, director of communications for the Super Bowl Host Committee.
It’s not easy to gauge the long-term impact the game will have on Jacksonville “in terms of marketing exposure, visibility,” she said. “It’s hard to put a price tag on the kind of advertising our community is going to get.”
However, some numbers are available.
Attendance in San Diego, site of last year’s Super Bowl, accounted for 168,595 hotel room nights, Surface said.
There was a total economic impact of $366.86 million last year for San Diego and the surrounding area. The game generated total sales taxes of $7,816,218.
“All the hotels putting these folks up have minimum four night stays,” said Kelly. “You can just imagine the impact it’s going to have. It’s certainly impactful and will be a great boost to our economy.”
Special activities being planned include golf tournaments, concerts, arts festivals, sports clinics, fashion shows and fishing tournaments.
“It all comes back to having a lot of fun,” said Kelly. “We’re going to be in the world’s spotlight. We want to show everyone a good time and take advantage of our natural assets.”
St. Johns county is already preparing to greet the onslaught of visitors . . . and court potential business prospects.
“Like everyone else in the surrounding counties, we know that the folks coming into town to attend the Super Bowl are not the average fans, the average Joe Public,” said Kari Hall Keating, director of the EDC. “This is a corporate event.
“That’s what we’re focusing our attention on — business recruitment efforts, sending more corporate relocation messages during that time.”
The county is already looking to capitalize on the Super Bowl “by making some necessary improvements to the community that will last beyond just that week,” said Keating. “An example we’re working on now is the landscaping, the beautification of State Route 16, the gateway into St. Augustine.
“That will be part of a larger project that needs to be done anyway that will outlast the Super Bowl.”
To get the most out of the game requires the help of all residents and businesses in the region, Kelly said. The Host Committee, which needs more than 8,000 volunteers, will show anyone who asks “how you can take advantage of being a Super City and parlay that into future success.”
Tasks for which volunteers are needed include airport, cruise ship and hotel ambassadors; managers to oversee interactive football games and activities; people to help with office operations, taking tickets, greeting guests and checking credentials.
Individuals and businesses that want to volunteer can contact the committee by calling 493-7239 or going to [email protected].