Amelia Island Scored Postive Exposure Via TaxSlayer Bowl (Gator Bowl)

Tourism officials promoted Amelia Island as a destination for those attending Jacksonville’s TaxSlayer Bowl (formerly known as the Gator Bowl) and plenty showed up. Iowa players stayed at Omni Amelia Island Plantation and practiced at Fernandina Beach High School’s football field.

Evening Scene of Historic Centre Street, Fernandina
Evening Scene of Historic Centre Street, Downtown Fernandina
EDITOR’S NOTE: Contributing columnist, Steve Nicklas, expresses his views and insight on various topics in Marketplace column.

__STEVE’S MARKETPLACE__

Christmas came in January this year on Amelia Island.

Of course, the much-anticipated holiday season arrived with typical fanfare in December, but it almost magically reappeared in the new year. It was wrapped in a prosperous bow, as a gift from the TaxSlayer Bowl football game at Everbank Field in Jacksonville.

You see, tourism officials here promoted Amelia Island as a destination for those attending the game (formerly known as the Gator Bowl) between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Downtown Fernandina Beach was festively dressed for the event with street placards and lights.

While it was difficult to tell apart the tourists or the team supporters, there were bunches of people milling about downtown this past weekend. For local businesses, it was like scoring a touchdown.

An unexpected one.

Meanwhile, the Jacksonville area and outlying communities like Amelia Island received yards of positive exposure during the televised game. Commercials ran during breaks in the game, and scenes of Jacksonville and the beaches sparkled through the television cameras.

Amelia Island was featured in a commercial, as were St. Augustine and the Jacksonville beaches. The Amelia Island commercial featured a woman sitting on the edge of the infinity pool at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation, and then displayed a moving shrimp boat with a golfer on board, hitting a shot into the water.

“Soak in the Southern Beauty of Florida’s Extraordinary Island,” the commercial on Amelia Island went. “Play a Round on Florida’s Extraordinary Island.” The commercial finished with the tag line for AmeliaIsland.com, and the motto, “Amelia Island – Come Make Memories.”

Holiday-like memories.
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North Florida’s favorite son Tim Tebow

While on the subject of football, North Florida’s favorite son Tim Tebow has emerged as a budding announcer.

Having been flushed from the pocket as an NFL quarterback, Tebow is making a prominent name for himself as an announcer/analyst for the SEC Network. He has even appeared on spot broadcasts of the parent network, ESPN.

Tebow is local to Nassau County, Florida because his parents live in Bryceville. Not only is he doing his sports broadcasting, but Tebow has been busily publishing a book, “Through My Eyes,” along with a DVD.

Also, his charitable inclinations are astounding. The Tim Tebow Foundation touts an inspirational motto: “Bringing Faith, Hope and Love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need.”

Steve Nicklas
Steve Nicklas
We need more people like Tim Tebow in the world – especially within a league with a tarnished image like the NFL.