by Kent Jennings Brockwell
Staff Writer
Besides the athletes on the field during the Super Bowl, plans are underway to swamp Jacksonville with hundreds of professional athletes and celebrities during the weeks leading to the big game.
Pro Players Inc., a Texas-based charitable organization comprising more than 750 professional athletes, is planning several Super Bowl events and parties around the city, which will feature face time with professional athletes.
Tim Klund, vice president of public relations for Pro Players, said he is working with Riverplace Station to help produce a major venue and multiple events around the city.
“Jacksonville just doesn’t have enough venues,” said Klund. “But we are going to have one like you have never seen.”
For the main event, Klund said he plans to have something like an Atlantic City boardwalk for part of the venue, which will be located near the Radisson.
He plans to have stations along the boardwalk representing every decade of American football since the first
Super Bowl.
“We want to create the mystique of the Super Bowl going all the way back to Super Bowl I,” he said.
Klund said pro football players from each decade will be located at their respective stations on the boardwalk. Scheduled autograph sessions for each station can be expected, he said.
Klund said his events are being set up for the people of Jacksonville. At many large scale sporting events, Klund said “the corporate dollar comes into play” and excludes most of the locals.
“We want to create a party for the people,” he said. “We are having this so the average fan can come out and see and hang out with the celebrities and athletes.”
Joseph Miller of Riverplace Station said he is looking forward to working with Klund and Pro Players. Miller said event plans for the big week have developed into something bigger than originally expected.
Pending contract negotiations, both Miller and Klund said announcements will be made in the next week or so, defining the major acts and celebrity appearances.
Klund also plans on having a concert series featuring “big name groups” from the past five decades.
Because Pro Players was set up to help disadvantaged children and their families, Klund said he will try to have athlete appearances and events at multiple local schools.
“We are going to try to get to every school in Jacksonville,” he said.
As part of the main venue and in keeping with the boardwalk theme, Klund is planning on setting up a carnival for local kids and families.
Klund said other events around town include celebrity basketball and flag football games and several parties at area nightclubs.
Though some of its events will start the weekend after the AFC and NFC Championship games, Klund said Pro Players’ major events will begin the Thursday before the Super Bowl.
“This is going to be a huge, huge event and party. It is going to be awesome,” he said.