01/05/2009

Contact: Jennifer Bryant at (904) 421-9161 or jbryant@visitjacksonville.com

Winter 2009: What's New in Jacksonville, Florida

Winter has arrived in Jacksonville! With an average temperature of 68 degrees there will be fun outside, as well as indoors. Don't miss out on funny headliners, award-winning golf and brand new hotels! Call Visit Jacksonville at (800) 733-2668 or log on to www.visitjacksonville.com.

Accommodations

The TownePlace Suites Jacksonville Butler Boulevard opened this past September. It's the first TownePlace Suites to open in Jacksonville and is operated by Marriott International. The extended-stay hotel has 85 suites and is convenient to the University of North Florida, Mayo Clinic, the beaches and Downtown. The hotel provides an upscale residential atmosphere for guests staying a week or more.

The property offers studio, one- and two-bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens and separate living/working and sleeping areas. Other amenities include a 24-hour business center, outdoor swimming pool, guest laundry, In a Pinch Market, exercise room, free high-speed and wireless Internet in all guest rooms and public spaces and complimentary continental breakfast as well as 24-hour coffee service. http://www.jaxtps.com/

Radisson Hotel Jacksonville Butler Boulevard boosted its technology amenities and in November added LG 32-inch, flat panel, high definition LCD televisions, equipped with wired and wireless Internet, and Web TV to all 167 guestrooms, as well as adding several large, flat panel LCD televisions to public spaces throughout the hotel. The hotel's upgrade is an effort to continue exceptional customer satisfaction.

Also, in December the hotel announced continued efforts to be an environmentally conscious property by becoming certified under the Florida Green Lodging Program. To become a designated member of the Florida Green Lodging Program, hotels must implement a variety of green practices. At the Radisson Hotel Jacksonville Butler Boulevard, these practices include water conservation, a linen reuse program, high-energy efficient lighting and programmable thermostats. The hotel also reduces waste by providing the opportunity to recycle, purchasing items in bulk, purchasing post-consumer-recycled materials and recycling ink and toner cartridges. In addition, the hotel uses green cleaners and high-efficiency air filters. www.radisson.com/jacksonvillefl_butler

The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village won "Best Renovation of the Year Award" for a franchised property at the recent 2008 Marriott International National Association (MINA) conference. The resort recently completed a $10 million renovation including remodeled guest rooms and suites, redesigned public spaces, a brand new restaurant, technology upgrades and more. Marriott judges awarded the honor based on the quality of the finished product in terms of workmanship, products used and overall appearance. Adhering to Marriott brand standards was also a part the judges' critique. http://www.worldgolfrenaissance.com/

Hotel Indigo - Jacksonville/Deerwood Park will open in January at Tapestry Park on the Southside of Jacksonville. Tapestry Park is a lifestyle center with unique shops, restaurants and residential properties. The boutique hotel features a waterfront café, as well as 2,100 square feet of meeting space that overlooks a lake. Hotel Indigo offers a relaxing and inviting environment in its public spaces for busy business travelers. This is the first Hotel Indigo to open in Northeast Florida. http://www.hotelindigo.com/

Hampton Inn and Suites Jacksonville South-Bartram Park will open mid-January 2009. The hotel is conveniently located off I-95 at Old St. Augustine Rd. and across from Baptist Medical Center. The hotel is a smoke-free property and features many amenities including gift and convenience shop, guest laundry, business center, complimentary hot breakfast, an inviting lobby, wired and wireless high-speed internet access, fitness center, outdoor pool and meeting facilities. http://www.jacksonvillebartramparksuites.hamptoninn.com/

 

Arts & Entertainment

Funny guys are on tap this winter in Jacksonville. Robin Williams lights up the stage at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts on March 11. Larry the Cable Guy comes to town on his "Eat Drink and Be Larry Tour" April 16 at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. http://www.jaxevents.com/

The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) takes advantage of its great view of the St. Johns River and its very large telescope, hosting the second annual "Bella Luna: Dessert Under the Stars." This Valentine's Day, MOSH invites couples to enjoy the view of the Downtown skyline from the museum's rooftop, then gaze up at the stars, the moon and even Mars through MOSH's 20-inch lens telescope! The romantic evening under the stars is complete with chocolates, strawberries and other tantalizing sweets. http://www.themosh.org/

The FCCJ Artist Series has an incredible line-up of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows this winter. Oliver plays Feb. 11, followed by the Farewell Tour of Riverdance, Feb. 13-15. Broadway shows play at The Florida Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. Gilligan's Island - The Musical, based on the popular TV show, plays March 6-8 at the Wilson Center at Florida Community College's Beach Boulevard location. http://www.artistseries.fccj.org/ohttp://www.artistseries.fccj.org/

The Florida Forum, an annual speaker's series, continues at The Florida Theatre with David Gergen, George Stephanopoulos and Jim Lehrer on Feb. 3. And the concerts heat up in March with Ryan Adams and the Cardinals on March 9 and Ani DiFranco on March 17. Tickets are still available for all shows. http://www.floridatheatre.com/ The

Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena is kicking 2009 off with a bang and a schedule jam-packed with superstars. The Eagles perform their laid back tunes on Jan. 28. On Feb. 8, the Jacksonville Blues Festival heats things up. World-class blues entertainers Mel Waiters, Jeff Floyd, Theodis Ealey, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Clarence Carter, Latimore, Marvin Sease and Sir Charles Jones will all share the stage. And on March 2, two legends take the stage. Billy Joel and Elton John perform together on the "Face 2 Face" Tour. http://www.jaxevents.com/

The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (JSO) continues an incredible 2008-2009 season with "Plugged In" and traditional performances. On Jan. 24 the JSO presents The Music of the Rolling Stones and The Who as a part of the "Plugged In" Series. Romance is in the air with the melodies of Romeo and Juliet scheduled Feb. 12-14. The JSO takes on the roaring sounds of Mahler No. 5 March 26-28. http://www.jaxsymphony.org/

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens exhibits Georgia O'Keeffe and Her Times: American Modernism from the Lane Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Feb. 4 through April 12. The Lane Collection is considered to be one of the greatest collections of American modernism. William H. Lane formed his pioneering collection in the early 1950s when these painters were little understood, though today they are considered to be the most important American artists of the early 20th century. Masterpieces by Georgia O'Keeffe, Charles Sheeler, Arthur G. Dove, Stuart Davis and Marsden Hartley will be on display.

The Cummer continues its free Tuesdays program with a new sponsor, announced in the fall. THE PLAYERS Championship offers free admission each Tuesday from 4-9 p.m. THE PLAYERS Championship contributes to a diverse group of charities throughout Northeast Florida, living by the PGA TOUR's mission to give back to the communities in which it plays. http://www.cummer.org/

The Beaches Museum & History Center continues its "Tracking Florida History - Lectures on the First Coast" program in 2009. Elliott Klienberg will speak about "wacky" Florida history on Jan. 23 and Bob Patterson will share Florida stories and songs on Feb. 26. The events begin at 6:30 p.m. and are free and open to the public. http://www.bm-hc.com/

 

Restaurants

Chef Tom Gray of Bistro Aix collaborated with the National Peanut Board at the 11^th Annual Worlds of Flavor International Conference at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, CA. The event is widely acknowledged as the country's most influential professional forum on world cuisines and culinary flavor trends. Gray created innovative dishes incorporating peanuts into appetizers and entrees. Some of the menu items will be added to the menu at Bistro Aix in Jacksonville's historic San Marco district. http://www.bistrox.com/

Culhane's Irish Pub kicks off St. Patrick's Day early with the Dublin City Ramblers in concert on March 16 at 8pm. The band is a popular folk band in Ireland with top rated songs. Tickets are $20.00. The celebration continues on March 17 with live music, food and drink. http://www.culhanesirishpub.com/

San Sebastian and Lakeridge Wineries announced their wines won a total of 58 medals (10 Gold, 29 Silver and 19 Bronze medals) in international wine competitions during 2008. San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine is Florida's second largest. San Sebastian's flagship wine, Vintners Red, won the coveted Double Gold at the Florida State Fair, while their Blanc De Fleur sparkling wine won the Gold medal at the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition. http://www.sansebastianwinery.com/

 

Shopping, Sports & Adventure

Daily tickets to THE PLAYERS Championship for 2009 went on sale in December with customer value in mind. THE PLAYERS is offering free parking passes with early ticket purchases, including Daily Grounds Admission Tickets and Weekly Packages. New this year, children under the age of 16 are admitted free with a paying adult. THE PLAYERS is also offering a Family Plan package. www.pgatour.com/theplayers

The Jacksonville Equestrian Center has an array of shows coming this winter, including the National Team Roping League Finals Jan. 29-Feb. 3. Annually, this event is the largest roping competition held east of the Mississippi. There is lots of excitement for the public and admission is free. Other events include The Sunshine State Alpaca Expo Feb. 6-8 and Cowboy Mounted Shooting Competition Feb. 19-22. http://www.jaxevents.com/

Jacksonville Ice & Sportsplex opened this winter, revitalizing an existing rink and sports program with 15 years of experience. The combined ice and sports facility offer 100,000 square feet of sports and meeting space. The facility currently offers hockey and figure skating programs, and will expand to offer sports programming, as well as a variety of camps. In addition, this flexible space offers over 20,000 continuous square feet of meeting space for corporate and private event needs. http://www.jaxiceandsportscomplex/

The Jacksonville Suns announced a two-year player development agreement with the Florida Marlins. The Southern League Double-A baseball team was previously an affiliate of The Los Angles Dodgers. The Suns play a 140-game season from April through Labor Day and will open the 2009 season at home against the Tennessee Smokies on Apr. 9, 2009. http://www.jaxsuns.com/

The "Best New Rally Driver in America" contest begins Feb. 4 at Rallydrive USA & European Rally School in Starke, FL. Contestants are given the opportunity to have some of the best rally instruction and win a full rally drive package. Rallydrive supplies try out and training cars, driving suits, helmets, venue and professional instruction. An entry fee is required. http://www.rallydriveusa.com/

The World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theater at World Golf Village now provides closed and descriptive captioning services for hearing and visually impaired guests for a selection of its films. At no additional ticket cost, hearing and visually disabled adults and children can immerse themselves in IMAX films with the use of either an acrylic Rear Window display unit for closed captioning at their seat or a Starsound headset for descriptive narration during pauses in a film's dialogue.  Current films at the IMAX Theater with closed captioning service include Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure, Everest, The Polar Express and Wild Ocean. Descriptive captioning is currently offered with Everest. http://www.wgv.com/

The two golf courses at World Golf Village in St. Augustine were named the 15^th best Resort Courses in the nation in the 2009 list of "The Top 50 Resort Courses," as selected by the reader's of Golf Digest magazine. The ranking was based on such categories as the quality of the courses, condition of the courses, hotel accommodations, food/dining, off-course activities/amenities, service, golf practice facilities, accessibility, clubhouse/locker room, speed of play, reputation/prestige, golf pro shop and overall value. http://www.wgv.com/

Services

Kayak Amelia at Long Island Outfitters introduced a team building program called, "Natural Teams" for groups. http://www.kayakamelia.com/

 

Special Events

International rugby action returns to Jacksonville on Jan. 17 with the Rhinos Stampede 2009. The World Champion Leeds Rhinos return to Jacksonville to face the National Champion Salford City Reds at Hodges Stadium, University of North Florida. http://www.jaxaxe.com/

26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer is the only marathon in the country dedicated solely to raising money to fight breast cancer. On Feb. 15, thousands of runners and spectators will participate in this unique event. The funds raised will be donated to The Donna Foundation and Mayo Clinic for breast cancer research and its multidisciplinary Breast Clinic, which specializes in the detection and treatment of breast cancer. A half-marathon is also scheduled. http://www.breastcancermarathon.com/t_blank

The public is invited to join the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve for the 11th annual Kingsley Heritage Celebration each Saturday in February for a special event. One of the highlights of the event is a guided tour by an archeologist and hand-on activities at the site. www.nps.gov/timu

The 14^th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, March 13-15, celebrates classic cars and the people who admire them. Events take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island and The Golf Club of Amelia Island at Summer Beach. http://www.ameliaconcours.org/

The Gate River Run is an extraordinary 15k run through Downtown Jacksonville and over its bridges. The March 14^th event is in its 32^nd year with nearly 20,000 runners and walkers participating. http://www.gate-riverrun.com/

Family fun, arts and crafts and, of course, lots of seafood are featured during the Great Atlantic Seafood Festival on March 21 in Jacksonville Beach. http://www.jacksonvillebeach.org/

Each year, the Ginn Championship, March 30-Apr. 5, features the best mature golfers competing against one another. The tournament, played at Ginn Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, distributes the largest purse on the tour. http://ginnchampionship.com/

Bring the entire family to celebrate blues music and the arts at George's Music Springing the Blues, April 3-5. The three-day oceanfront event is free and features a number of renowned blues performers as well as numerous displays and activities geared for the entire family. The annual event is held at the Sea Walk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach. http://www.springingtheblues.com/

MPS Group Women's Tennis Championships features the top women tennis players and rising stars of the game. Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach hosts this revered tennis tournament April 6-12, formerly named Bausch & Lomb Women's Tennis Tournament. http://mpsgroupchamps.net/

 

Visit Jacksonville News

Visit Jacksonville welcomes former Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce employee Glenda Washington as multicultural accounts director.  In this capacity, she will promote the region as a meetings and conventions destination to the multicultural market and increase Jacksonville's market share of multicultural meetings and tourism.

Washington will work with this specific market to promote the destination as the premiere location for multicultural meetings and conventions.  Traditionally, this market segment prefers to meet during the lower hotel occupancy months of July through December making her role significant to Visit Jacksonville's value meeting season.  In addition, Washington will serve as the staff liaison to the organization's multicultural tourism committee, which consists of engaged political, industry and business leaders from within the community.

She has 18 years of small business and procurement experience.  Prior to joining Visit Jacksonville, Washington worked with the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce for six years beginning in 1990 and was quickly promoted to the director of small and minority business development.  Following six years in the banking industry, she returned to the Chamber as the senior director of economic inclusion in 2003.  In addition to this role, she also recently served as the Procurement and Technical Assistance Center specialist.  Washington's primary responsibilities included identifying public and private sector purchasing opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses and community and economic development.

"We are thrilled to welcome Glenda to the Visit Jacksonville sales team," said John Reyes, Visit Jacksonville's president & CEO.  "Her extensive experience with the Chamber of Commerce will prove to be a valuable commodity for Jacksonville's tourism industry as there is consistency in message for attracting business and attracting meetings and conventions."

Washington serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Supply Management and is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville and Regional Leadership Jacksonville.  She received her B.S. in Workforce Education & Development from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and is expected to receive her B.S. in Business Management from the University of Phoenix in January 2009.

Washington fills the vacancy left by former multicultural accounts director, Theda "TJ" Jackson after her departure from Visit Jacksonville in mid-October.  Jackson currently serves as the Account Director, Southeast Region for the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau.

 

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Visit Jacksonville, formerly the Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau, is the marketing organization contracted by the Duval County Tourist Development Council (TDC) to champion the growth of business and leisure tourism in Northeast Florida. Along with its nearly 400 tourism partners, Visit Jacksonville stimulates economic impact, quality of life and recognition for the Northeast Florida region. For a closer look at all there is to see and do in Jacksonville, go to www.VisitJacksonville.com.