by David Chapman
Staff Writer
A special meeting of the Tourist Development Council Thursday led to approval for funding that could bring the Senior Bowl to Jacksonville.
Visit Jacksonville officials presented the funding application, which calls for a five-year deal with $350,000 per year from the TDC that would come from its discretionary fund. Visit Jacksonville would also contribute $150,000 for the game each year, while an additional $130,000 to $150,000 would come from the City’s Sports and Entertainment Board.
The Senior Bowl, an annual football game composed of college stars played in Mobile, Ala. since 1951, would bring another highly visible entity to the city that would garner both media attention and generate income for local hotels and businesses in Duval County.
The application calls for a guaranteed 10,000 room nights, something Senior Bowl officials have guaranteed, at $35 a room night. Tourism officials believe the figure could reach as high as 12,000 room nights for the weeklong event. The Hyatt will be the host hotel for the event and the room night figures are only counted for nights stayed in Duval County hotels.
Bringing the game to Jacksonville to help hoteliers is something Council President Richard Clark wants to see to ensure the industry’s survival in tough economic times.
In addition to the room nights, the overall impact of dining and patronizing local establishments that generate local income has officials optimistic of the game’s value.
“Moving to Jacksonville will help turn the game into the event it can become,” said Mike Bouda, Jacksonville Economic Development director of sports and entertainment.
The ceiling for the game has been capped in Mobile, he said, as the stadium only holds around 40,000. The target for Jacksonville would be around 55,000, something he believes can be accomplished due to a combination of the area’s football interest and relatively low price point for tickets.
The approved application would be for the game beginning in 2011, though a destination for next year’s game has yet to be finalized. While Jacksonville could potentially land that game, Bouda said the focus is from 2011-15.
Visit Jacksonville’s Executive Director John Reyes is on board with the game, saying that sports events are one of the city’s greatest economic generators.
“The opportunity is really about who we are and what we are,” he said, referring to sports events and medical events as big ticket items.
Jacksonville is one of the finalists for the game, said Bouda, who said he is in contact with Senior Bowl officials at least every other day. Bouda wouldn’t comment on who the city’s main competitors for the game are, but said a decision could come within the next couple weeks.
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