• Apparently, the Super Bowl isn’t the only event that’s going to draw large crowds downtown. According to calculations by the Tourist Development Council, about 150,000 people will attend the tall ships festival in June, generating about $1 million for local businesses. www.sailjacksonville.com
• Parker Hudson, real estate manager for the Underwood building on the corner of Hogan and Monroe streets, says he’s close to a deal with a tenant he declined to name. Hudson said the lease could be signed by the end of the month.
• President George W. Bush has recommended State Appellate Court Judge Virginia M. Hernandez of Tampa to fill a vacant federal judgeship created by the death of U.S. District Judge Buddy Nimmons. Two locals, Circuit Court Judge Waddell Wallace and attorney Christine Milton, were finalists for the job.
• City Council member Daniel Davis says a recent JEA proposal to eliminate the sale of irrigation meters to customers is a bad idea. Currently, JEA customers with meters — they measure the amount of water used from outside taps and waive service charges on that water— pay roughly a fourth of the fees charged to customers without meters. Davis said the change in JEA policy seems to “be an attempt to generate additional revenue by charging Jacksonville’s citizens for sewage fees when irrigating lawns.” He says it might be better to “focus on educating the public about adequate water usage.”
• The Music Factory at the Landing is scheduled to open March 19. Landing management says a promoter has booked the space, formerly the Tilt game room, for Friday and Saturday nights. The Landing has also applied for a liquor license for the venue.
• Private fundraisers will meet with members of the mayor’s staff later this month to discuss a capital campaign for the Equestrian Center. Former City Council member Alberta Hipps, also president of the Northeast Florida Equestrian Society, requested the meetings, which will cover the use of naming rights to subsidize private contributions.
• Council member Jerry Holland wants to reconsider ordinances that cleared the way for construction and private operation of three parking garages downtown. He asked the mayor’s office to bring the legislation back to the Council to answer questions about potential revenue loss from City-managed lots. We reported last week that private garages operating in the Sports Complex could cost the City about $800,000 a year.
• A $1,000 donation from Attorneys’ Title Insurance Fund will be presented to Florida Coastal School of Law today under the Fund’s law school program, established to support the teaching and research of real property law. The Fund is also conducting a title examination workshop for students at FCSL from noon to 2:30 p.m. today.
• We had the wrong date last week for the Christian Legal Society luncheon. It’s Friday at noon at Sterlings Downtown. General Counsel Rick Mullaney is the speaker. For reservations, contact Jane Arnold at [email protected].