1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: Well, I think it behind all these stories, there's someone 2 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: who really believes in a cause, and in this particular case, 3 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: it's the con family that has chosen to invest hundreds 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: of millions of dollars in downtown Jacksonville when not everyone 5 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: had that same level of belief. So, you know, today's 6 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: a great day because it's a little bit of validation 7 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: of their belief in downtown Jacksonville. But just as important, collectively, 8 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,639 Speaker 1: all of us who care about downtown, this is something 9 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: we should begin celebrating because it's been for so long 10 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: we've talked about what's not happening downtown, and it's great 11 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: when you can see tangible evidence of yes, things are 12 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: moving forward, and they're moving forward in an unbelievably great direction. 13 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 2: I mentioned this is kind of a boosting point for 14 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 2: downtown to get this opened. I mean there's not many 15 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 2: office buildings like this one that have been opened in 16 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 2: the area. How big of a step forward is this. 17 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: Well, it's something that people can see and they can 18 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: go into. It's not just a rendering you might see 19 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:06,119 Speaker 1: to printed, you know, in a newspaper or shown on 20 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: somebody's web page. It's real evidence. It's real people that 21 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: make the construction happen. It's real people that are working 22 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 1: here day and day out. And you know, even like 23 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: today's announcement we're going fully lardener, it's evidence that people 24 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: that are downtown continue to believe in downtown. And as 25 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: we spread this story, I think what's going to happen 26 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 1: is the retention rate for employers who is going to 27 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: continue to go up, and we're going to continue to 28 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: draw more and more people, which is what the goal is. 29 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,040 Speaker 1: It's not just to keep the existing employers downtown, which 30 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: is an important goal, but also to bring new people 31 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,119 Speaker 1: into experience how special this place lives. 32 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 2: A lot of work's gone into all the construction that 33 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: people are seeing in this area. Just seeing things like 34 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 2: this start to open, start to come to fruition, I mean, 35 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 2: that's got to be satisfying. 36 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: Right Well, it's just like anything else. I mean, whether 37 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: it's you know, you have your child graduate from high school, 38 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: your child graduate from college. That day is celebration, is 39 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: a reminder of all the years of hard work that 40 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: you did along with your child, and I think this 41 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: is the same sort of thing. So many people work 42 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 1: on this, very few of them are known to the public, 43 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: but it's real a sense of satisfaction. Even the you know, 44 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: the hundreds of highly skilled, trained construction workers that make 45 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:29,639 Speaker 1: this project happen, they feel great pride in a finished product. 46 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: Four seasons twenty twenty seven. 47 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 2: Is there a date during twenty twenty seven? And it 48 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 2: does seem like it's taking a little bit longer than 49 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 2: y'all are anticipated. 50 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: The world Now, yeah, sometimes you have to have patients 51 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: for special things. But you know, it's you can see 52 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: how complex of a project it is just by coming 53 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: down here and looking at it. But it's it's spectacular 54 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: as as it's unfolding. As I said today, we would expect, 55 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: you know, in about a year or so we'll have 56 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,359 Speaker 1: substantial completion and then the opening of the hotel and 57 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: the residents will follow. We don't have any exact timetable 58 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: right now, but it's obviously getting closer and closer day 59 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: by day. 60 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 3: What does this mean as an NFL franchise to be 61 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 3: up there with state of the artifer and all other terms. 62 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: Well, it means we have happier employers employees, so it's 63 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: a much better place to go to work. And I 64 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: think happy motivated employees are more productive and get more 65 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: things done, so you know, you think about it. Over 66 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: the course of the last two years or so, first, 67 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: with the opening of the Miller Electric Center, are our 68 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: football operations went from arguably the worst facilities in the 69 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: league too amongst the best, and the same can be 70 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: said for our business operation. And both of those pieces, 71 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: as all of you recall, were the critical first steps 72 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,119 Speaker 1: that we had to address in order to be able 73 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: to do the renovation in the stadium. So all these 74 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: things are our complimentary of one another, and we continue 75 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: to inch closer and closer to the ultimate goal, which 76 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: is a consistently competitive, financially stable NFL franchise in Northeast 77 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: to Florida for generations to storry. 78 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 3: To clarify, you say this and need to be done 79 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 3: before the stadium? Is that kind of just so construction. 80 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: Could happen well, because we couldn't have two people working 81 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: inside a construction site, okay, nor could we have all 82 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,479 Speaker 1: the football folks. We had to get you know, because 83 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: the NFL is a three hundred and sixty five day 84 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: a year business. We're still conducting business even while construction's 85 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: going on. So we had to get our business people out. 86 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: We had to get our football people out and we've 87 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: done that with the opening of two new facilities in 88 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: downtown Jacksonville. Is there something you would like to see 89 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: happen next, You'll always have something else kind of on. 90 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:47,559 Speaker 2: The back burner. 91 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 3: You'd like to move to Front Burger the stadium, obviously, 92 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 3: but anything outside that that. 93 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: You'd like to see have for the use, well, there's 94 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 1: there's always a need. I don't know that that need 95 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: is going to to be totally satisfied by just one 96 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: interested developer being the con family. I mean, the thing 97 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 1: that makes us feel so optimistic about downtown is how 98 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:15,359 Speaker 1: many different people believe in downtown. So it's not just 99 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 1: you know, Shad that's investing in downtown. There's dozens of 100 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: developers that believe in downtown. So, you know, I think 101 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 1: on a list of things, you know, in order to 102 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: fully develop the potential convention business here in Jacksonville, we 103 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 1: probably need better convention facilities, and that's something which you 104 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: know others will deal with, not us. I think being 105 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: able to present a more robust and vibrant nightlife in 106 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:54,159 Speaker 1: downtown Jacksonville that not only supports those that visit downtown, 107 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: but it helps us attract huge marquee events that have 108 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: such a great economic impact. In order to get a 109 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: big event, it's it's no longer just having the facilities 110 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: to attract it. You also have to have the hotels 111 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: and you have to have the things for people to 112 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 1: do when they're not in their hotel room, are at 113 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: their meeting or at the sporting events. So, you know, 114 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: just from our perspective, convention facilities, entertainment downtown, those are big, 115 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: big idea stuff. 116 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 3: For one more, he's got to just on the sports 117 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 3: and entertainment concept that the team has discussed before. Where 118 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 3: are we on that? And you anticipate any kind of 119 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 3: announcements on that anytime. 120 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: So now there's there's nothing imminent I can tell you. 121 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: We have our handsful right now. You know, it's good 122 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: that this project is done. There's a ton of work 123 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: that's going on at the four seasons, and we've got 124 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: a long way to go on to the Stadium of 125 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 1: the future. So you know, there's there's there's there's a 126 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: lot of things we need to deal with that we 127 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: have to figure out long term. You know, what's going 128 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: to happen with the fairgrounds property that that the con 129 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 1: family owns now but you know, there are no imminent announcements, 130 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: but that doesn't mean that somebody else might not be 131 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: planning something downtown. And look, the more the merrier as 132 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:05,239 Speaker 1: far as as far as we're concerned,