Jacksonville Super Bowl Miscellaneous items

[vicupstate]

Thanks for the inside story. Just goes to show you that the media changes the story when the real story doesn't provide enough 'dirt'. Much the same way that they exagerate to make Jax look like a backwater town.

[bobliocatt]

City in play for another Super Bowl

"My feeling is it will be back here at some point," Tagliabue says.

By VITO STELLINO , The Times-Union

When Paul Tagliabue retires as the commissioner of the NFL, he would be a good fit to head the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.

Tagliabue, who was responsible for Jacksonville being awarded the Jaguars in 1993 in the expansion derby, continued to support the city at his annual Super Bowl press conference Friday.

In his opening statement, he said, "Our Super Bowl on the River is already a success'' and later predicted the game will be played here again in another decade or so.

When he was asked about the game returning, he said, "One of the things I've learned over the years is the dumbest thing you can do is say from this podium you're in favor of City X, because the other eight owners here say why didn't you mentioned my city, too.''

He then outlined the reasons why the game will return to Jacksonville.

"I think Jacksonville will prove, it is proving, that it's got all the things that you need to host the Super Bowl game successfully, including great hospitality and interest in the game. I think [Jaguars owner] Wayne Weaver said that maybe in the next decade would be a realistic timeline. That's for the community to decide. But my feeling is it will be back here at some point.''

When a Boston radio reporter questioned whether it was practical to put the game in a city that didn't have enough hotel rooms or cabs, Tagliabue again defended Jacksonville.

"I think what you're seeing is what you see when you have a Winter Olympics in a smaller community or you have a Summer Olympics in a smaller community like Atlanta,'' he said. "You see more private homes being leased out. And you see more people having to drive a greater distance to get to the game. But of all those things, those inconveniences, in some cases they're not inconveniences.''

He also said that one owner (Bob Tisch of the New York Giants) is staying in a private home in the beach in Ponte Vedra that Tagliabue called "a fabulous accommodation, even though it's not a four-star hotel.''

Tagliabue added: "Once we get through it all, we'll have a definitive answer to your question or how inconsequential were the inconveniences. I think the docked ship across from the Adam's Mark has been quite dramatic. I know the COO of the company is staying there so it can't be the worst place to be.''

When Tagliabue was asked about holding the Super Bowl in sites like Jacksonville and Detroit, he said "I met a lot of fans in the hotel and one of them probably had the most apt comment of all, "I don't care about the rain, you don't have to shovel it.' So that's what I would say about the weather. Some of us become a little too high fallutin'. The fans are having a great time here. The fans are here for football. They're here for fun.''

Tagliabue noted the opposite reaction the city gets when the game is held in more upscale cities.

"We get lambasted by some people because we're into high-end hotels and luxury in excess and hedonism,'' he said. "And this year we're not into any of those things and we're getting lambasted. It's one of those things -- you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't until it's time for the game. It [Jacksonville] has got a great history in football. It's a fabulous stadium. The community is excited about having the Super Bowl.''

In his opening statement, Tagliabue lauded Jacksonville as a hotbed of football and said the smaller NFL cities help make the league what it is.

"It [Jacksonville] is a great football community that has played an important role in high school football, college football and pro football for many, many decades. And Wayne Weaver and the Jaguars have taken that history to a new level here in the last 10 years, including those two AFC championship performances.

"Part of what is special about our league is the tradition and teams of small and mid-sized cities, such as Green Bay, Kansas City, Buffalo and now Jacksonville.''

With revenue sharing such a hot button issue in the league right now, he got in a plug for it by saying the league's revenue sharing policies "often help our small market teams.''

Tagliabue also was asked if he's worried about the future of the Jaguars franchise because the team will cover up almost 10,000 seats this year and had a half-empty stadium for the final home game against Houston, even though a playoff spot was on the line.

"I think the Jaguars franchise is fine in terms of fan support,'' Tagliabue said. "I think that the team was struggling a bit. That affects fans' interest. They've taken some steps in players like Byron Leftwich and the team that coach Jack Del Rio has put together.''

Tagliabue said the size of the stadium was a problem so "what Wayne is doing in terms of reducing the capacity [by covering up seats] at the margin is intelligent and will bring it much closer to our what our average capacity is for new stadiums.''

Tagliabue touched on several other topics and admitted the league has a disagreement with the Disney Corporation about rights fees for the Sunday and Monday night packages. He said the league was talking to "other television networks and companies'' about those packages and a new Thursday night-Saturday night package. He suggested the new NFL Network could get one of them.

He also said the NFL hopes to return to Los Angeles by the end of the decade and has a "long way to go'' to reach an agreement on extending the labor contract.

Tagliabue said the NFL has no plans to mandate minority interviews for front office positions the way it does for head coaches, but said the league must do a better job of minority hiring in front offices.

"We haven't satisfied ourselves that we've done enough to recruit people and to really have a deep pool of talent within the league,'' he said.

vito.stellinojacksonville.com, (904) 359-4279

[Urban_Legend]

Thanks for the true story Wolfdawg, I'm glad you contacted the media!

[wolfdawg54]

The Super Bowl will be back within ten years in my opinion. With a downtown that is booming and a successful one this year, we are in the running for another Super Bowl. I went downtown yesterday and last night. It was awesome and everybody seemed to be enjoying it. I even asked some out-of-towners how they felt about the city and they liked it a lot. I thought that was good news!

[vicupstate]

The Super Bowl will be back within ten years in my opinion. With a downtown that is booming and a successful one this year, we are in the running for another Super Bowl. I went downtown yesterday and last night. It was awesome and everybody seemed to be enjoying it. I even asked some out-of-towners how they felt about the city and they liked it a lot. I thought that was good news!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Another Super Bowl is certainly possible, maybe even probable in that time frame. Tomorrow (Monday) will be a key test though. The airport exodus must be relatively painless. Since that will be the LAST impresssion that visitors will have, it could be a LASTING impression. Let's all pray for no "18-wheeler wrecks" on I-95.

If the next SB is held in 10 years, just think how different Downtown will look by then. The Strand, The Peninsula, San Marco Place, Riverpointe, will all be com-pleted. Hopefully, The Shipyards will be 75-100% complete. The same for San Marco Riverwalk.

Also, the Landing will certainly look different and hopefully expanded. The Marble Trio will either be renovated (fingers and toes crossed) or replaced with something else. The same goes for the old library. The Riverwalk should be completed to Metro Park by then as well.

Some sort of Courthouse will be built (fingers an toes crossed again) as well as neighboring buildings such as 323 Duval.

While nothing has been announced, surely by then, something will be completed on the River City Brewing parking lot.

Lastly the Fidelity/Riverside Ave. area will look much different too. Those are the big items, and who knows what will be completed by then that hasn't even been announced or even conceived of yet.

[wolfdawg54]

I know! All of that development will certainly boost downtown. Even the beaches area which was pretty important in this super bowl will be changed with more development in the Jax Beach area. Also, the St. John's Town Center mall will be mostly complete and maybe even more great projects for downtown.

[prahaboheme]

I have a good friend who works for the City of St. Augustine and was telling me about all the special things going on there. Apparently the Casa Monica Hotel is the celebrity hotspot with the likes of John Travolta, Sarah Jessica Parker, Bob Dylan and others staying there. Also, the new Hilton Hotel is now open and you guessed it, the Hilton sisters are there and will host an exclusive afterparty there.

This makes me wonder if the St. Augustine of Henry Flagler's day was something a bit like this, or something he envisioned it to be?

[vicupstate]

Petway enjoys the moment

Central in the city's football circles

Tom Petway, a captain of Jacksonville's National Football League efforts for at least 16 years, was enjoying the moment Sunday morning, eight hours before kickoff.

"I believe the world will see this afternoon that Jacksonville is very uniquely qualified to host the Super Bowl, and they can't take that away from us tomorrow," Petway said from his rented suite on the Radisson Seven Seas Navigator cruise ship downtown.

The "moment" was both the crisp, clear, sunny morning as the first wave of the city's estimated 100,000 visitors began hitting the streets downtown, as well as the "moment in time" when Jacksonville became one of just 12 cities to host an event now watched by 1 billion viewers worldwide.

"I believe Jacksonville will never be the same," Petway said. "I really believe where we go from here will be based on the leadership to make decisions on opportunities we never would have had."

Petway, 64, owner of Zurich Insurance Services Inc. and other investments, has been central in the city's football circles since at least 1989, when the Touchdown Jacksonville Inc. ownership group was announced to buy an NFL expansion team.

Through ownership adjustments, including the addition in early 1993 of majority owners Wayne and Delores Weaver, heated negotiations over stadium renovations, legal skirmishes with former partners, an intense push to sell 10,000 club seats, and other highs and lows, Petway has been a main driver in the city's role with the NFL.

Jacksonville was awarded the franchise on Nov. 30, 1993 and the inaugural Jacksonville Jaguars season was 1995.

Jacksonville soon launched the quest to host a Super Bowl and the announcement that the city would host Super Bowl XXXIX came Nov. 1, 2000. Petway and St. Joe Co. Chairman Peter Rummell co-chaired the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee.

"I'm happy I did it. We spent five years of our lives. This was an extraordinary project," he said.

The committee raised about $12 million to host the game. The biggest hurdle, Petway said, was solving the problem of providing 17,500 quality hotel rooms to meet NFL requirements. He called Weaver "the father of the cruise ship solution." Five ships line the St. Johns River this weekend, providing almost 3,700 rooms.

The past few days, Petway has circulated among local and visiting movers-and-shakers and planned to see former presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, who were expected to be the Weavers' guests in their Alltel Stadium suite.

Petway and Rummell intended to watch the game from the St. Joe suite.

Petway, an influential Republican supporter, said he invited President George W. Bush two years ago to Super Bowl XXXIX, and "I held out hope until last week." Petway understands the complicated logistics involved with presidential visits, although "I wish he would have come."

In addition to hosting and attending parties and events, Petway and Rummell circulated to see how the city was coping with the influx, admiring the people keeping it clean, and appreciating the almost 10,000 volunteers and the city's special events staff.

He especially congratulated Michael Kelly, executive director of the host committee, and he thanked and credited the city for its work and investment.

A former chairman, Petway also spoke to Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce guests under recruitment for corporate expansion or relocation. "We have a lot of decision makers here," Petway said. "I told the visitors that Jacksonville will benefit from Super Bowl XXXIX forever."

Petway said the event was taking place as planned, including the expected mid-60s temperature. "We've had a perfect execution of a perfect plan," he said, adding that the planning extended through the terms of two mayors -- John Delaney and John Peyton -- as well as five City Council presidents and other elected and appointed officials.

"That doesn't mean we wouldn't change anything next time," he added.

Petway said there likely will be a next time, but he didn't know when. It would be after the 2009 game, whose site is being determined.

"We learned a lot," he said. "Jacksonville will be uniquely qualified for the next one."

He also has "a lot of thoughts about the next one."

First, he doesn't expect to chair that game's host committee. "I don't think you'll see Peter or me do this again. Times change, City leadership will change."

Second, he can be expected to push for some of those changes, primarily securing more state support. He said Houston, site of Super Bowl XXXVIII, benefited from state support of $8 million based on the anticipated increase in sales tax revenues.

"For Florida to remain competitive, we have to fund our Super Bowl," he said. "If we create $20 million in additional sales tax revenue, why shouldn't half go to promotion of the event?

Miami and Tampa collectively hosted 11 Super Bowls, and Miami also is host for the 2007 Super Bowl. "It's a state responsibility and a state opportunity," Petway said.

"We have three of the best sites going," he said. "The justification would be statewide justification."

Third, he said Jacksonville needs to prepare for the increased competition to host the games. "It's a very competitive environment that Jacksonville should be ready for," he said. "There are cities that are honing their skills to win the next" games.

"It is a business unto itself," he said. "We need a meeting to critique what we've done and figure out how to do it better next time."

Petway expects Peyton "to summon us all in" to talk about the experience and perhaps start to plot the city's participation "in the quest for the next game."

That discussion comes after game day. "I'm sure in due time we'll have plenty of opportunity to do that," he said, Sunday morning before heading to a brunch, another gathering and then to the corporate hospitality area at the stadium and, of course, the game.

"I'm just enjoying the moment."

karen.mathisjacksonville.com, (904) 359-4305

[Urban_Legend]

Urban Legend's "Rehosting Wishlist"

Well, with all this speculation of the big game coming back to town (I'm sure it will), I've made a little wish list of what I'd like to see in Jacksonville for the next time around.

[1] All the stuff on our Projects and Construction list--completed

[2] Expanded Skyway: Riverside Line/Bay Street-Stadium Line

[3] Direct Light Rail connection between Airport and Downtown

[4] New Convention Center (able to accomodate the NFL Experience, since JEA Park will be developed)

[5] New Landing, with big-name shopping and dining

[6] Westin Hotel? Please??

[7] With a new courthouse, the current courthouse site can be redeveloped into a condo/hotel thing!

Anyone have any other suggestions?

[vicupstate]

Urban Legend's "Rehosting Wishlist"

Well, with all this speculation of the big game coming back to town (I'm sure it will), I've made a little wish list of what I'd like to see in Jacksonville for the next time around. 

[1] All the stuff on our Projects and Construction list--completed

[2] Expanded Skyway: Riverside Line/Bay Street-Stadium Line

[3] Direct Light Rail connection between Airport and Downtown

[4] New Convention Center (able to accomodate the NFL Experience, since JEA Park will be developed)

[5] New Landing, with big-name shopping and dining

[6] Westin Hotel?  Please??

[7] With a new courthouse, the current courthouse site can be redeveloped into a condo/hotel thing!

Anyone have any other suggestions?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a good and largely realistic list (except #3). I would agree with them all except I would change Bay Street to State Street in #2. An elevated monorail would ruin the historic ambience of Bay Street. Use the State Street line to encourage mid-to-high rise residential development where Downtown and Springfield come together. A major condo project was proposed for State & Main awhile back, for example. There's no decent architecture along State Street anyway.

Also, merge #4 and #7 together. Put the convention center where the courthouse is now, but leave some room on the Coastline Drive/Riverwalk side to serve as the entry/lobby of a high-rise hotel and condo tower. A convention Center would put rocket boosters on the Bay Street Town Center, and the Adam's Mark (the largest hotel in NE florida) is already next door. Plus the conventioneers would be right on the riverwalk and a short walk from the Landing. City Hall Annex could be razed and replaced with a parking garage (with street level retail of course) and another hotel or condo on top.

Some other ideas...

1) A transportation center in the Prime Osborn Center, along with a collection of musuems. An expanded MOSH coupled with a Children's musuem would be a great start.

2) Replace the current MOSH building and the River City Brewing parking lot with a large residential/office/retail project.

3) Another Hemming Plaza like space East of Main Street, and build new mixed- use buildings (with a emphasis on residential) all around it.

4) A Publix in the Main/State/Union vacinity to serve both Springfield and Downtown.

5) A BRT (Bus-Only Rapid Transit ) line from the Airport to Downtown. Light Rail is just to expensive now, but could come later.

6) Redevelopment of the Haydon Burns library into a high-rise residential/retail project.

7) Conversion of the old Ford Plant into either a Cruise Ship terminal or Condominum project.

[Aessotariq]

Kudos to Jacksonville for successfullly pulling this thing off... This is definitely something to be proud of.

From an urbanophile's perspective, I found that the news media showcased the city well, especially the river, skyline, and bridges. Anecdotally, it's amazing how many confuse the St. Johns for a bayfront. Must be the association with Florida...

The cruiseship hotels were a very novel and creative idea for accommodating the large numbers of visitors, and more waterfront cities should try that for major events.

[Urban_Legend]

The Landing got trashed!

Dang.

[bobliocatt]

Yes it did, although, I'm sure all of the Landing's merchants are happy with the money they made over the weekend. I was down there for four straight nights and you couldn't even see the ground, because of the larger amount of people in the there (50,000 on Saturday night). It was amazing how quickly all of the Philly fans left, just as soon as the game ended on Sunday night.

[wolfdawg54]

My friends and I tried to go in there on Saturday night before the Three Doors Down concert and we were turned around at the door to the Landing. They said that it was overpacked and they would not let anyone else in. Also, the area from Alltel to the Landing were packed with people along the river, Bay and Adams Street. it was great for the city.

[93sportie]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/93s...ie/P1010001.jpg

Testing to see if I uploaded these SB pics correctly

Guess not....

Help?

[bobliocatt]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/93s...ie/P1010001.jpg

Testing to see if I uploaded these SB pics correctly

  Guess not....

  Help?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Follow these steps to post pics.

1. Click on the "Add Reply" button at the bottom of the page.

2. Click on the "IMG" button in the Code Buttons section.

3. Cut & Paste the photo's URL address in the pop up box & click on OK.

4. If you do this, the pic will show once you finish the Add Reply section.

[Urban_Legend]

Nice Pic!

Bad Weather.

[93sportie]

Hey it works....Thanks

[93sportie]

[Urban_Legend]

Whoa, that's awesome! I'm especially fond of that nighttime pic.

[93sportie]

So,by posting more than 1 pic at a time,I seem to have made this thread a triple wide

I assumed they would have loaded vertically instead of horizontally.This is what happens when ya assume.LOL

Thank you Lakelander

[bobliocatt]

Just put a space between each image, like you're starting a new paragraph. If you do this they will line up vertically.

[wolfdawg54]

Awesome pictures! I really like the pictures of the Seven Seas Navigator from the bridge. I wish that it would be there permenantly because it is such an amazing view in the pictures of downtown.