Seven years ago, it was an announcement that Jacksonville had been awarded an NFL franchise. Today, at the NFL owners meetings in Atlanta, NFL Commissioner announced that Jacksonville has been awarded the 2005 Super Bowl.
"On the fourth ballot, decided by a majority vote, the 2005 Super Bowl has been awarded to Jacksonville," Tagliabue announced.
The news was greeted with cheers from those in the room from Jacksonville, and immediately the city began carrying out plans for a late-afternoon celebration at the Jacksonville Landing.
"I think, for our city, the Super Bowl is even bigger than the Jaguars," Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver said.
The Super Bowl will present Jacksonville to the world in a way no one could've previously dreamed, and Jacksonville will present the Super Bowl with a thoroughly unique approach.
"Membership bought into that," Weaver said of NFL owners' acceptance of the Jacksonville Super Bowl committee's cruise-boats plan. In that plan, cruise boats will be docked in Jacksonville to provide lodging that is not available in the Jacksonville hotel community.
"It differentiates us from what other cities can do. I think people are looking forward to a different and unique experience. That's what we promised to deliver, and we'll deliver," Weaver added.
"This is an enormous opportunity for our community. As I promised the membership, we're going to make them very proud of their vote today. We've got a lot of work to do and we're up to it.
"It raises us up to a first-tier city. Jacksonville is a great place to be right now," Weaver added.
Jacksonville overcame challenges for the 2005 Super Bowl from Miami and Oakland, Calif. Officially, it will be Super Bowl XXXIX.
