Jacksonville offers planners something different, says Jeanne Goldschmidt, director of convention sales for Visit Jacksonville. “We are the ‘flip side’ of Florida. We are the most affordable meeting city in the state and can often accommodate tight schedules and budgets. Our experienced staff offers individualized attention,” she says. “We have 30-plus nonstop flights to cities around the country, and we are at the intersection of two major interstate highways. We are also great for meeting attendees who want to make their event a vacation, with plenty of attractions and outdoor spaces to explore.”
Home to two Naval Air Stations, the city is a top destination for military events, Goldschmidt says. “Jacksonville has the third-largest military presence in the country. The recent addition of the USS Orleck/Jacksonville Naval Museum on the St. Johns River offers a distinctive military venue for events.”
There are 18,475 guest rooms in the region, with 508 additional rooms expected to open early this year. Convention hotels downtown include the 951-room Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, with 110,000 square feet of event space, including a 1,500-person capacity conference center; the 322-room Southbank Hotel Jacksonville Riverwalk, with 35,000 square feet of function space; the 354-room Marriott Jacksonville Downtown, with 14,000 square feet of meeting space; and the 293-room Doubletree Jacksonville Riverfront, with 12,000 square feet of function space.
At the beach, the 193-room One Ocean Resort & Spa has 10,500 square feet of event space; the 150-room Courtyard by Marriott Jacksonville Beach can seat 120 guests theater style; and Four Points by Sheraton Jacksonville Beachfront has 80 two-room suites and space to seat 150 guests theater style.
Additional conference hotels include Marriott Jacksonville, with 19,459 square feet of event space; Doubletree Jacksonville Airport, with 11,000 square feet of meeting space; Ramada Hotel & Conference Center by Wyndham Jacksonville – Mandarin, with 10,000 square feet of function space; and Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Airport, with 10,000 square feet of event space.
Offsite event facilities include the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, with 48,000 square feet of meeting space and 78,500 square feet of contiguous exhibit space; Jacksonville Main Library, with space to host 300 guests; Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens, with 80,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space; the Schultz Center, with a 500-person meeting capacity; and a variety of venues at the University of North Florida.
