The Toyota Gator Bowl week starts Sunday and it won’t let up, if past performance is an indication.
The competing teams — Florida State and West Virginia — should fill motels from Fernandina to Palm Coast, says the game’s Selection Committee chairman.
“The Gator Bowl is an economic development tool for the entire area,” said Bob White of Compass Bank. “Nothing brings business liken this. Nothing else is close.”
The game isn’t until New Year’s Day but the teams arrive Sunday and their fans, particularly those from West Virginia, will be close behind.
“There’s a core of teams which really bring people and West Virginia ranks with any of them,” said Gator Bowl Association President Rick Catlett, who worked with White and his committee to secure teams that would bring dollars as well as quality play. “They were here last year so everyone knows how many they bring.”
The game is almost a sellout with only scattered tickets available in Alltel Stadium, which will be configured at about 76,000 for the game. Last year’s game drew over 80,000 but that was because of extra seats in the South end zone as the GBA was showing off the increased capacity in its eventually-successful bid for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.
Every downtown hotel is booked for next weekend and most rooms have been reserved for early this week. Restaurants expect long waits for those who didn’t make reservations.
The first official function is an invitation-only welcoming party Sunday evening at the River City Brewing Company. Both teams will attend as will school officials, Gator Bowl Association committeemen and civic and political leaders.
The teams start practicing on Monday.
There will be a “Celebrate Youth Fellowship” luncheon on Wednesday at the Adam’s Mark with former Jacksonville Jaguar Tony Boselli as the featured speaker. It’s open to the public at $20 per seat.
Friday’s program is full with the Hall of Fame luncheon at noon in a tent outside the stadium. It’s also a sellout.
Other Friday events are open to all including the Budweiser Fan Fest at the stadium from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., which is $10 but free to those in the association’s Patch club.
West Virginia fans will have a pep rally at 1:30 at the stadium; FSU’s rally is at 5:30.
The VyStar 5K run starts at the Landing at 2 followed by the Winn-Dixie Parade, which starts and ends at the Osborn Center but comes through downtown.