by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
To better prepare for the local impact and execution of the 2005 Super Bowl, the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee will be in Houston for the Feb. 1 game.
Host Committee spokesperson Heather Surface said staffers, including host committee president Michael Kelly and volunteer director Soulan Johnson, will be arriving at a staggered pace in Houston about week before kickoff.
Surface and Kelly said those making the trip will likely use much of their time to meet Houston officials and shadow the Houston Host Committee.
“Depending on which area of discipline each of us is focusing on, our staff can use our time there to ask questions and observe,” said Surface. “That’s one of the things we’re most pleased about with other host committees. They’re always willing to help and give words of wisdom when you need it.”
Kelly said the group would also be closely observing the Houston plan to help determine the dos and don’ts for Jacksonville.
“We’re going to have a lot of eyes out there working for us, and we plan to use our time to observe and analyze what our counterparts have done and, from there, determine what’s applicable to us and maybe what isn’t,” he said.
Kelly said a “key focus” will be downtown Houston’s role in the festivities.
“For instance, they have reserved several city blocks and will convert them into areas for heavy fan traffic and activities,” he said. “That’s very similar to what we have planned in our downtown and in other satellite locations.
“We’ll also keep in contact with their airport authority and transportation authority. These are the kind of things that will help us refine our plan.”
Surface agreed.
“Every time we’ve been able to travel to a different host city, we are able to learn something new,” she said. “That’s always beneficial to us.”
Surface added she would spend the majority of her time before and during the Super Bowl in the news media center, where she expects a narrowed focus on Jacksonville.
“There’s going to be a little more pressure for us in Houston because this is our last chance to observe, first hand, the execution of a Super Bowl and the plan of action that goes with it,” said Surface. “Last time we observed in San Diego, we still had two years ahead of us, and we weren’t getting the kind of attention we’re going to get this time. Now that we’re next up to bat, we know we’ll be much more in the spotlight.”
Kelly acknowledged the raised level of scrutiny but stressed Jacksonville was “extremely well prepared for the 2005 Super Bowl.”
“In several areas, we’re well ahead of schedule,” he said. “Our fund-raising efforts are far ahead of where Tampa was at this time.”
Kelly said the committee has raised approximately 75 percent of its $10 million sponsorship goal.
“But after the Houston Super Bowl is when the public will really start to see our plan come together,” he said. “We’re truly going to be on the clock.”
Describing plans as a “work in progress,” Kelly said basic concepts the committee established months ago will start to take shape at a much more rapid pace.
“We’ll take the shell of plan we have now and start figuring out the exact times and dates for events and activities,” he said.
Kelly added more workshops for local businesses and a bolstered NFL presence will also be prominent in 2004.
And, though having a lot of work ahead, he stressed Jacksonville, and the Host Committee in particular, would have all the necessary components in place in February 2005.
“Without question we’ll be ready,” said Kelly. “We’ve worked extremely hard to meet all of the obligations required of us by the NFL. I’m sure the City will also continue to evaluate what it needs to do to make it a success and push those projects forward.”