by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
The Super Bowl brings a near endless list of opportunities for local businesses to make money. With that understanding, representatives from the Super Bowl Host Committee say they are close to finalizing a new program that may find some Jacksonville homeowners sharing in some of the profits, too.
“Right now we’re in the process of finalizing a home rental program with a professional property management group,” said Heather Surface, host committee director of communications. “We think it will be a great way to supplement the accommodations we have now while allowing the residents to make a little money.”
The host committee, which has never been directly involved in the implementation of a home rental program before, would be allowed some “financial consideration” either by collecting a small percentage from each rental agreement or through sponsorship opportunities.
According to Surface, nearly 100,000 visitors needing a place to stay will make their way to Jacksonville in 2005.
“Most of them will obviously stay in hotels,” said Surface, “but many people won’t even know they’re coming here until two weeks before the game after the final two teams have been announced. A lot of them will be scrambling to find something.”
Pat Duncan, host committee director of lodging and accommodations, said approximately 4 percent of Super Bowl tourists — they’re usually employees or clients of larger corporations — typically stay in rental homes or condominiums. Duncan said that number may be somewhat higher for the Jacksonville game, due to relatively limited amount hotel space.
“We’re a little more limited in what we have to offer, so this has the potential to be a win-win situation,” said Duncan, who has received more than 30 inquiries from people who want to be included in the rental pool.
“We’ve already started to compile a database, and we expect a lot more generated interest as we get closer to the game,” he said.
To keep prices down, Duncan said, an anti-gouging agreement — similar to the one agreed upon by regional hotels — will be drafted and signed by all homeowners enrolled in the program.
The space available will be priced on its fair market value.
“After we settle on a property management company, they will meet with the homeowners, assess the value of each property and answer most of their questions, ” he said. “From there, they can work at drafting a contract that all parties will find acceptable.”
Duncan said beach and riverfront homes are the kinds of property most sought after by corporate clients.
The Host Committee anticipated the home rental program would start picking up steam some time after the Super Bowl in Houston.
“On our website we’ll have a link where you can learn more about the program,” said Surface. “We think it’s exciting because this a very unique way for the community to get involved.”