by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
It may seem quiet right now regarding Super Bowl XXXIX, but there is an entire organization preparing for the big event.
Reid Sigmon of the Super Bowl Host Committee spoke at a recent Northeast Florida Builders Association’s Sales and Marketing Council breakfast and gave some insight into what our city can expect when the National Football League Championship game is played here in 2005.
Sigmon showed a video to give the crowd an idea of the excitement bringing a Super Bowl to a city brings.
“That kind of gives you kind of an idea of the excitement that will be created over three or four days in February 2005,” he said. “We have about 426 days left until the game. We actually have a countdown clock down to the tenth of a second in the office that I am trying not to look at too often.”
The Super Bowl Host Committee was formed to be the liaison between the NFL and the community to get all of those things ready for the game coming up.
Sigmon’s focus is in the integrated planning of all aspects of transportation, parking, visitor movements including marine and air transports. He will work with the NFL and Alltel Stadium and surrounding areas to host the Super Bowl.
Sigmon commented on how much further ahead and prepared the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee is than previous host committees.
“Right now we are fully staffed and we have 14 people, which is well ahead of where other host committees usually are at this point,” said Sigmon. “Another good example of this that shows the support the community of Jacksonville has shown is that the most money a Super Bowl Host Committee has ever raised is in their entire existence is a little over $4 million. With 15 months until the game, we have already raised close to $7 million. That shows the support of the First Coast and the entire community and the excitement they have shown for what we are doing.”
Sigmon said 800,000 million viewers in over 200 countries will watch the Super Bowl from Alltel Stadium.
“There will be 3,500 credentialed media in town,” he said. “Last year, there were 10 million words of copy from San Diego about San Diego. We estimate from $250-350 million in economic impact, over $4 million in charitable giving, over 100 events during the week and 100,000 visitors to the area. Some of the transportation numbers that I will deal with are that we have 1,200 buses, 1,000 limousines and approximately 700 airplanes at the various airports. That’s kind of the size and scope of the event that will go on.”
Since Jacksonville alone does not have the hotel capacity needed to host such a large event as the Super Bowl, five cruise ships will be brought in to enhance the room and entertainment venues of the city.
“We will have 3,600 rooms, 16 restaurants, 11 entertainment venues, 12 nightclubs, 29 bars, five spas and 51 hospitality rooms,” said Sigmon. “We will double the hotel capacity of downtown Jacksonville.”
Not only will the ships be accessible by those staying on them, but Sigmon says they will be open to the public.
“The unique thing about this is that the public will have access to the ships,” he said. “The NFL guests staying on the ship will just be paying for room and breakfasts. That means we have lunches and dinners that we will be selling to the general public so they have a chance to go on the ship and experience the meals, service and also the entertainment.
“The cruise lines are very excited about that because statistics will show that 93 percent of the people in America have never been on a cruise ship. They are very exited about the exposure that will give.”
Jacksonville doens’t have a Bourbon Street of New Orleans, the Ybor City of Tampa or the South Beach in Miami. Where’s the party?
“What we are going to do is sort of create that atmosphere in downtown Jacksonville,” he said. “What we are calling our Superfest area will stretch from the T-U Center all the way to Metro Park. We are going to create is a temporary entertainment zone with vendors, restaurants, interactive games and entertainment. It will be a place that those 100,000 people to go and experience Jacksonville and show off our great asset of the St. Johns River.”
The NFL Experience will be set up on the old JEA Southside Generating Station site.
“It will have very interactive games and a tremendous event to show off football in the area,” he said. “A million dollars from that event will go to the local community for a YET (Youth Education Town) Center. The remaining funds will be matched by local and private support. Once they leave this youth center will be there to help develop youth not only in terms of life skills, athletic and social skills.”
The Super Bowl Host Committee’s website states that “the mission of the YET Center is to enhance daily educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth through the development of high-tech educational and recreational opportunities designed to improve academics, physical fitness and job-related skills.”
He said surrounding areas are also planning events to give visitors other entertainment opportunities to enjoy while in the city.
Sigmon said they will need to train, schedule and approve 8,000 volunteers.
“About half of those will be ambassadors that we will put at the airports, cruise ships and hotels to really greet visitors to the area and tell them about all the great things in Jacksonville and provide information,” he said. “The other half will probably be at the NFL Experience to help run all of the various events. If you are interested or your company is interested in getting a group together to volunteer, we would be very excited about that.”
Visit www.JacksonvilleSuper Bowl.net for more information.