This afternoon, while looking for the perfect photo to make a birthday card, I went through a number of old (read: four to eight years ago) photo files. They brought back terrific memories, especially those from 2005. So, here’s a little nostalgia. (Click the photos for more information.)
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- Welcome!
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- Southbank east of Main Street Bridge
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- Main Street Bridge goes Pedestrian
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- Northbank, west of the Main Street Bridge
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- Southbank, west of the bridge
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- Boats at the Jacksonville Landing
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- Doughnuts in front of a coffee factory?
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- People and lights on Bay Street
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- Bay Street looking west
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- Awaiting fireworks from the Main Street Bridge
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- Jacksonville Landing after-party
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- More people!
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- Really?
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- JSO horse patrol
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- Good show, Governor
What I remember vividly about Super Bowl week 2005 is the great number of people around Downtown Jacksonville. There were pedestrians everywhere: crossing the Main Street Bridge, along East Bay Street, in Friendship Park and at The Landing, on both Riverwalks. Pedicab companies were in town, and stretch limos were popular choices as well. At night, the Main Street bridge was closed to vehicles, and it was a great thrill to ride a bike across the bridge in the traffic lane.
One of my most distinct memories is riding down from Springfield with a friend Friday night. We wanted to see the action and feel the energy. At Main and Bay, it was easy enough to ride our bikes. At Bay and Newnan, we had to start walking our bikes. By the time we got to Catherine Street, we had to lock up the bikes. Why? Because pedestrian traffic was that thick. I’ve never been so happy to give up my bike for walking.
Beth Mason Editing 
Excellent post. That was a wonderful time to be downtown. I was lucky enough to have a media pass, so I took about 1000 photos during Super Bowl week. Most were for stories, but there are a few I uploaded that you might like. Check them out here:
http://gallery.mac.com/robert.s.davis#100142&bgcolor=black&view=mosaic&sel=0
Also, I recall an editorial I wrote for the JBJ. I think you’ll like it, because it touches on a lot of things on your blog.
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2005/02/14/editorial1.html
Keep up the good posts!
Thank you, Robert!
You captured well the draw of public transportation in this line: “there was something almost cosmopolitan about riding through your beautiful Downtown in a standing-room-only car.” And that photo of the stadium during the game … breathtaking.
Business leaders and politicians still occasionally joke that it would be great to have a Super Bowl every week. Well, maybe we can instead ensure that the visitors who are here six years later, whether they attend a week-long conference that brings $1 million in hotel sales or are a couple on a date night, are having a Super experience and telling their friends and colleagues. I think a lot of residents forget that we have visitors at four high-end riverfront or riverview hotels (Crowne Plaza, Hyatt Regency, Omni, Wyndham). Those people venture beyond their hotels into Downtown’s streets, retail stores, restaurants, bars, attractions. They are leaving their money behind.
Well, I guess I’ve been spending a lot of time with Chamber and Visit Jax people …
Yep. That was a fun (and cold) weekend.