by Mary-Kate Roan
Staff Writer
The contract for the annual Florida-Georgia game isn’t up until after the 2010 game, and Jacksonville officials — from Visit Jacksonville to City Council President Ronnie Fussell — all agree that it’s never too early to start addressing the next contract and the needs of the two schools.
The game was brought up by John Reyes, president of Visit Jacksonville, at Thursday’s Tourist Development Council meeting. Reyes is seeking an extra $10,000 for the Student Sideline Safety Zones for this year’s game, which is Nov. 1. The total funds received from the TDC are $85,000.
“Safety is a big concern for both schools,” said Fussell, who, as Council president, chairs the TDC. “The contract year (2010) is coming up. It’s on our radar.”
Fussell, a big Georgia booster, said he met recently with University of Georgia President Michael Adams, Athletic Director Damon Evans and head football coach Mark Richt. All three indicated to Fussell they are pleased with Jacksonville and how it handles the game and the fans from the schools.
“This is the time when we are doing everything we can to make the teams happy and meet their needs,” he said. “(At the TDC meeting) I said we have met with the AD, the president and the coach and they all like the game being here. I was very encouraged by the meeting. They like the game being in Jacksonville.”
Georgia Associate Athletic Director Claude Felton said the school is happy with the game and its location.
“The Georgia-Florida game is one of college football’s great traditions and for more than 60 years, the city of Jacksonville has played a big part in making it such a national event,” said Felton. “The City of Jacksonville has been very accommodating over the years in hosting the game and very willing to address any concerns that may arise. Contractual discussions come about every 4-5 years historically and I’m sure it won’t be long before those discussions will begin once again.”
Mike Bouda of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission’s Sports and Entertainment division said talk of moving the game out of Jacksonville and on a home-and-home basis seems to crop up every year. He said those sentiments usually come from the Georgia fans. However, Bouda said, last year’s win by Georgia has quieted much of that talk.
“We haven’t begun negotiations yet. We were asked to start early next year,” said Bouda, who is in Chicago working on bringing a major soccer event to Jacksonville. “You hear that every year (moving the game), but the win last year eased some of that.”
As Council President, Fussell said he’ll take an active role in the negotiations.
“We will work hard to figure out what needs to be done to make sure it’s a win-win situation for the schools and the city,” said Fussell. “We want the game to stay here and continue the tradition, one of the greatest in college football.”
The Student Sideline Safety Zones were created to assist fans who had either had too much to drink or got separated from family or friends. The Zones include cell phone chargers, help and assistance for those unfamiliar with Jacksonville. The areas are staffed by faculty and student volunteers from both Florida and Georgia.
In other news from the TDC meeting:
• The Florida Center for Environmental Studies received a grant for $4,000 for the annual Public Land and Acquisition & Management Partnership Conference for 2008. This year, it will be held in Jacksonville and with a yearly average of 600 people in attendance the group will focus on eight areas in and around Jacksonville.
“Jacksonville is one of only a few places in Florida that are big enough to host this,” said Doreen Diclaro, coordinator for FCES. The conference will take place at the Hyatt Dec. 3-5.
• Jacksonville will have its first Fleet Week in support of the U.S. Navy in October, and the TDC approved a $30,000 grant for the celebration’s firework display. A “beta test” for what the Council hopes will become an annual event, it will feature fireworks, fly overs and ship tours.
“We have such a huge Navy presence here in Jacksonville,” said Reyes. Fussell added that he would like to see the salute to the U.S. Navy tie in with the new Jacksonville National Veterans Cemetery opening and dedication.
“We’re building it, so we can set the dates,” said Reyes.
• Carnival Cruise Line is coming back to Jacksonville starting this month. And it’s a good thing they are. Without Carnival, there was a seven or eight point drop in occupancy points and the City lost a significant amount of tourism and money. About half of the Cruise Ship Promotion Encumbrance ($45,350) was granted to help promote the Jacksonville area as a cruise destination. It was also suggested that if the cruise lines would shrink the load time, the demand to stay in Jacksonville would increase.
• In addition to presenting proposals about the Georgia/Florida game, a cruise ship promotion and the Jacksonville Salute to the U.S. Navy, Reyes also presented a group of proposals that received a total of $200,250 in grants. The recipients of those grants include: the Players Downtown Experience 2008, A. Phillip Randolph Institute’s 39th National Educational Conference, City of Jacksonville Beach Summer Jazz Series Hotel Promotion 2008 and the Jacksonville Equestrian Center’s Barrel Racing and Southeastern Shootout.
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