Jazz Festival Logistics Badly Planned for Downtown Merchants and Residents?

[blizz01]

Here's a pretty upbeat story from today's Daily Record:

05/27/2009
by Max Marbut

Staff Writer

Tuesday morning, life was getting back to normal Downtown following the holiday weekend and Laura Street’s temporary transformation into the scene of the three-day street party that was the 2009 Jacksonville Jazz Festival.

As merchants were getting back to business as usual, the superlatives concerning this year’s celebration of music, art and wine were the main topic of conversation in terms of both the show and the above average commerce the event delivered for businesses.

“The book store and the cafe both broke sales records Saturday and Sunday, so it was a record-setting weekend,” commented Ron Chamblin, owner of Chamblin’s Uptown. “We saw faces that we don’t see for Art Walk so I know a lot of new people have discovered we’re here.”

Doug Ganson, owner of Karlene’s Deli, Dipper Dan’s Ice Cream and Sundrez at the Landing said, “It was great. The City did a fantastic job and the staff in the Special Events Department deserves to be commended.”

Like other merchants, Ganson said he’s sure business would have been even better if the weather had cooperated with sunshine instead of overcast skies and the threat of passing rain showers. “But you can’t control the weather,” he added.

Even without perfect meteorology, the festival drew an enthusiastic crowd that strolled from Hemming Plaza to the Landing, stopping along the way to purchase food and beverages, patronize restaurants and shop in stores.

“Kudos to the City’s Special Events Department. They went all-out and it showed,” commented Downtown Vision, Inc. Executive Director Terry Lorince. “The venues worked really well and the festival was absolutely terrific.”

While it’s difficult to get an accurate attendance figure at a non-ticketed event Lorince estimated the festival crowd based on DVI’s experience with tracking attendance at First Wednesday Art Walk.

“There had to have been at least 12,000 people at the festival at any given time and people were coming and going all day and into the evening, so 25,000 or more attendance would be a conservative estimate,” said Lorince.

Zodiac Grill owner Jerry Ewais also said the Jazz Festival brought a new crowd Downtown. As he watched people eating in his restaurant over the weekend, “I didn’t see many of my regulars. It was new faces who came to the festival,” he said. “It was very well-organized by the City and a great thing for Downtown.”

Kirk Gonzalez owns Hemming Plaza Jewelers and said while the festival didn’t generate week-before-Christmas level sales, having the event Downtown and across the street from his display windows generated a lot of exposure for the business.

“People who don’t usually come Downtown saw the store and now they know we are here. There was lots of foot traffic and many people shopping. I’m already planning for next year. I think I’m going to create a special Jazz Festival item like a key ring or perhaps a bracelet with festival charms that can be added each year.

“Saturday night we closed the shop and I got a bottle of wine and walked around and listened to some jazz. I never did that when the festival was at Metropolitan Park,” said Gonzalez.

[Springfield Girl]

Here's a pretty upbeat story from today's Daily Record:

05/27/2009
by Max Marbut

Staff Writer


Kirk Gonzalez owns Hemming Plaza Jewelers and said while the festival didn't generate week-before-Christmas level sales, having the event Downtown and across the street from his display windows generated a lot of exposure for the business.

“People who dont usually come Downtown saw the store and now they know we are here. There was lots of foot traffic and many people shopping. I'm already planning for next year. I think I'm going to create a special Jazz Festival item like a key ring or perhaps a bracelet with festival charms that can be added each year.

What a great idea! I bet he will sell a ton of them.

[jason_contentdg]

How can 50,000+ visitors be considered anything but positive?

50,000? Really? Is that in line with the 40,000 who visit the Riverside Market ever Saturday?

I never saw 50,000 people downtown, even when we had the Super Bowl.

So I assume you do not consider the stadium downtown?

[Steve]

Also, it's a four day festival.  They are not saying that 50,000 people came at one time, nor did 40,000 come at one time to the arts market.

[Steve]

And, yes 50,000 visitors is a good thing, however we get 60,000 at the stadum in the fall on 12 separate occasions, however does that REALLY do anything for downtown.  A number is one thing.  Capitalizing on that number is another.

[jason_contentdg]

And, yes 50,000 visitors is a good thing, however we get 60,000 at the stadum in the fall on 12 separate occasions, however does that REALLY do anything for downtown.  A number is one thing.  Capitalizing on that number is another.

Correct, if they get ushered in and out as fast as possible, then who cares what the number is.

[Shwaz]

I never saw 50,000 people downtown, even when we had the Super Bowl.

Are you saying you didn't see 50,000 of 1 specific heritage of people... because without a doubt there was 50K downtown for the SB at one time.

[Coolyfett]

And, yes 50,000 visitors is a good thing, however we get 60,000 at the stadum in the fall on 12 separate occasions, however does that REALLY do anything for downtown.  A number is one thing.  Capitalizing on that number is another.

Interesting, I think the Skyway would be a good way to keep the people in the area for a bit. I am not sure if there is a parking time limit, say the game ends at 4pm what time does all the cars actually have to leave? Lets say the East Leg of the Skyway was in place, if groups of people wanted to go to the landing after the game, they wouldnt have to get back in their cars, they could easily use the Skyway train to go to the landing via a Laura Street Station. They would bring the landing lots of cash, especially after a win. If I could leave my car where I parked it I would hang downtown if getting where I wanted to go was that simple. I could even take it a step further by saying say the Landing and Hemming Plaza gets too packed after the game, one could always hit up San Marco Square or Five Points via Skyway if those stations existed. People leave downtown after the game because there is nothing else to do after the game. Driving sucks, once people crank up the engine they are ready to go home and not hang out. Put em on the train and its easy to hang out.

[CrysG]

And, yes 50,000 visitors is a good thing, however we get 60,000 at the stadum in the fall on 12 separate occasions, however does that REALLY do anything for downtown.  A number is one thing.  Capitalizing on that number is another.

Interesting, I think the Skyway would be a good way to keep the people in the area for a bit. I am not sure if there is a parking time limit, say the game ends at 4pm what time does all the cars actually have to leave? Lets say the East Leg of the Skyway was in place, if groups of people wanted to go to the landing after the game, they wouldnt have to get back in their cars, they could easily use the Skyway train to go to the landing via a Laura Street Station. They would bring the landing lots of cash, especially after a win. If I could leave my car where I parked it I would hang downtown if getting where I wanted to go was that simple. I could even take it a step further by saying say the Landing and Hemming Plaza gets too packed after the game, one could always hit up San Marco Square or Five Points via Skyway if those stations existed. People leave downtown after the game because there is nothing else to do after the game. Driving sucks, once people crank up the engine they are ready to go home and not hang out. Put em on the train and its easy to hang out.

I agree. If you had those sections done, on Saturday people could make a day of it. Go to RAM, MOSH and then to the Library. Right now if you wanted to do those things you'd have to drive and park twice.

[Coolyfett]

I agree. If you had those sections done, on Saturday people could make a day of it. Go to RAM, MOSH and then to the Library. Right now if you wanted to do those things you'd have to drive and park twice.

In other words more hassle, more car wear and tear. 

[mtraininjax]

50,000 for 3 days, 40,000 people per day at the RAM, I know what is coming, we will see 100,000 for Tall Ships and we may have 5,000 people downtown at any given time, but with all the fake cannons firing and vibrating off the buildings, it will make the noise level seem like there are 100,000 people downtown during the event. Fireworks will draw people, but let's keep them seperate. You could have fireworks and draw 100,000 without breaking a sweat.

Wonder how many people will be hanging out at the Tall Ships event in Hemming Plaza this weekend, perhaps Chamblin's will do a brisk business this weekend. Perhaps the jewelry store will be open not just Saturday but Sunday as well.

I have not heard many positive things about having a festival on the concrete, other than most who said it was an inconvenience to eat downtown. But have to try new things, just like spending thousands of dollars to remove payphones in and around downtown, because they breed a bad element. Did you know people actually refered to us as COWford a few years back? Perhaps it was because we were slow to catch on....

[BridgeTroll]

Did you even bother to show up at the Jazz Fest?  How about RAM?  Planning to come down for the Tall Ships?  Sheesh...

[tufsu1]

no...he's just a whiner

[urbanlibertarian]

Spiro Agnew said it best:"nattering nabobs of negativism"
His speech writer was William Saphire.

[hanjin1]

geez, do you hate jacksonville or something? Are you the owner of Whiteway Corner?