The Inside Scoop on Meetings in Jacksonville

When planning an event, here are some things you might want to know when considering Jacksonville, Florida.

Jax is the perfect setting for your next meeting or convention, and our sales managers, Bob Doering, Karen Townsend and Laura Gonzalez are here with the inside scoop on meetings in Jacksonville:

What are some of your favorite venues in Jacksonville that are not obvious to planners?

  • TIAA Bank Field. (Bob) Few cities let you use an NFL stadium for events. What a cool thing to be able to boast that you are hosting your event at an NFL stadium!
  • Florida Theatre. (Bob and Karen) This is an authentic historic theatre that is romantic and full of charm and character.
  • River decks of the Hyatt. (Bob) This venue has a backdrop of the city that is amazing. You don’t even need to spend money to decorate because the city is the biggest decoration!
  • Daily’s Place. (Karen) This is a unique venue that is nothing like a ballroom. You could have an opening session with a great view of the river!
  • Parks. (Karen and Laura) Jacksonville has the largest urban park system in the country. There are more than 400 parks, and a garden and arboretum where you can host so many events, especially sporting events.
  • Jacksonville Equestrian Center. (Laura) This is a very unique place that a lot of people don’t think about. It can be used for so much more than equestrian-related events. They have had RV shows, and they even have a pool.

What are some things that surprise meetings planners when they visit Jacksonville?

Bob:

  • The local flair. Jacksonville has so many amazing independent businesses.
  • The airport. A lot of people don’t know that we have our own airport and are surprised by the number of flights from different airlines that we have coming in.
  • People come here unassuming and are pleasantly surprised by the arts and culture.

Karen:

  • How beautiful Jacksonville is. The city is surrounded by water. I call it nature’s playground. People are amazed by the city’s natural beauty.
  • The affordability of Jacksonville. People are surprised by the great value.
  • The fact that Jacksonville is a young city. It is also home to many regional corporate headquarters.
  • How easy it is to do business and plan a site visit. Our team is always by meeting planners side every step of the way.

Laura:

  • The funding availability. When on the road, we often talk about our grant offering that is paid in the form of rebates.
  • The size of Jacksonville. Even though it is the largest city by landmass in the continental USA at 840 square miles, you can basically get anywhere you want to go in 20 minutes. Site visits can sometimes last two days because there is a lot of ground to cover.
  • The location. People are sometimes surprised to learn about North Florida and how Jacksonville is a drivable location for many states.

When you work with Visit Jacksonville, you'll have our on-the-ground partners to help make your next meeting or an event a success. Learn more about our team and how we can help: https://www.visitjacksonville.com/meetings/meet-the-sales-team/.

Meet in Jax

Shivani

Author

Shivani

Local Expert