Residents, visitors urged to be prepared

The City of Jacksonville is continuing to monitor Hurricane Sandy off the coast and is urging residents and visitors participating in outdoor events this weekend as part of the Georgia vs. Florida College Football Classic to take precautions.

Sports fans attending the game or nearby festivities are urged to closely track weather reports.

While the storm is still expected to stay well offshore, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Northeast Florida and Coastal Southeast Georgia. The NWS expects gusty winds through Sunday morning. Read more.

It's that time again! Time for the annual match-up between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Florida Gators in Downtown Jacksonville. This week, our Downtown will be filled with tons of activites for the entire family to enjoy. Don't miss RV City activities, the Touchdown Showdown, the Georgia-Florida Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Corporate Village and much more! It all leads up to the big game on Saturday, October 27 at EverBank Field.

Visit MakeASceneDowntown.net to learn more about the week's exciting events!

The City of Jacksonville, U.S. Naval Station Mayport, and the cities of Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach are proud to present the 2012 Jacksonville Sea & Sky Spectacular, Oct. 20-21, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., in Jacksonville Beach.

“The Sea and Sky Spectacular will be a fun, family-friendly opportunity to get an up-close look at some of the world’s most talented aviators as they pilot high-performance and unique aircrafts along our beautiful coastline,” said Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown. “The City of Jacksonville is proud to take part in this great event with numerous community partners, the Beaches' cities and our dedicated Armed Forces members to ensure a quality experience for all.”

This free event will feature military and civilian flight teams, recruitment displays, interactive and static displays, live entertainment, the Mini-Boss Kids Area presented by ACUVUE, Aviator Autographs presented by VyStar Credit Union, food and beverage vendors, and more. Premier Viewing and Corporate Cabana areas will also be offered.

The City of Jacksonville celebrates 90 years of a classic rivalry. The University of Georgia Bulldogs will take home field against the University of Florida Gators on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 3:30 p.m. at EverBank Field.

“It’s my honor to welcome back the thousands of fans who have made this classic college football matchup a tradition that puts a spotlight on Jacksonville,” said Mayor Alvin Brown. “This is one of the most exciting times of the year in our city, and I’d like to thank everyone from the athletes to the staff and volunteers for the important roles they play in creating an unbeatable experience right in the heart of our city.”

Series of events will honor veterans, educate the public, and celebrate the lives of veterans

Highlighting Jacksonville’s commitment to the military and veterans, Mayor Alvin Brown and an array of community leaders announced a major weeklong series of events to honor and celebrate the contributions of current and former armed forces members and military families.

The Week of Valor in November serves as a way to come together as a community and honor those who serve, reflect on their sacrifices and celebrate their lives.

The Week of Valor kicks off Monday, Nov. 5, with a military appreciation luncheon sponsored by the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. The national spotlight on the city’s deep ties to the military and veteran communities will include two major sporting events.

Financial Design Associates started as a Mass Mutual branch in 1999 with five staff members and has since grown to 50, covering a service area that straddles Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. With the move to Downtown, the firm has announced plans to hire 25 new employees in the next two years and double the size of business within the next five.

“I’m excited to partner with business and community leaders to usher in this new era for our Downtown,” said Mayor Brown. “Everyone brings to the table a unique perspective on what it will take to create a sustainable environment to lure major companies, small businesses and world-class entertainment. This is a tremendous opportunity to polish the Jacksonville brand and make our city more competitive at a time cities all over the nation are fighting to recover.”

Three-week project focuses on Downtown revitalization

A consulting team commissioned by the worldwide technology services company IBM at no cost to taxpayers has concluded a three-week research project Downtown and is now finalizing an action plan to help Mayor Alvin Brown’s efforts to revitalize the urban center.

The work comes as part of the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge, a worldwide initiative to distribute a total of $50 million worth of services and technical assistance to 100 cities through 2013. The project carries an approximate value of $400,000.

Jaguars to Debut at London's Wembley Stadium in 2013

With interest in the NFL in the United Kingdom at an all-time high, the Jacksonville Jaguars have made a multi-year commitment to International Series games in London.

The Jaguars will play one regular-season home game in the United Kingdom in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, all at London’s historic Wembley Stadium. The date of the 2013 game as well as the opposing team will be announced in the months ahead.

Legislation creating the DIA (2012-364) received unanimous Council approval on Wednesday night. The Mayor and City Council will select a nine-member board of directors to oversee the DIA on an unpaid, volunteer basis. 

Three-week project focuses on revitalization at no cost to taxpayers

A team of IBM experts, funded by a grant from the major technology services company IBM, has started a three-week project to determine realistic solutions to revitalize Downtown Jacksonville.

The project is part of the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant program, a worldwide initiative to provide a total of $50 million worth of services and technical assistance to the most progressive 100 cities around the world through 2013. The project carries an approximate value of $400,000 and requires no tax dollars.

Jacksonville was selected earlier this year among eight cities nationally and 33 globally after Mayor Alvin Brown and a number of stakeholders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors met with IBM representatives at City Hall to make the case for Downtown.

Plan streamlines process to make Jacksonville more competitive

Mayor Alvin Brown’s plan to streamline city job-creating functions by transforming the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission into an executive-run Office of Economic Development is now official.

Mayor Brown signed his economic development legislation (2012-212) today at 9:30 a.m. while commending City Council for the unanimous vote on June 26, 2012, backing the mayor’s vision for Jacksonville’s future.

“This is more than policy and it’s more than structure,” said the mayor. “It’s the unanimous opinion of our elected City Council to do what’s right for the taxpayers. It’s the conversation-starter with business leaders wondering where to expand or relocate. And it’s a solution for the nearly 38,000 people in our city who remain out of work and deserve a chance to rebuild themselves.”