City Offers More Incentives to Keep Florida-Georgia Game

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Lights were strung, Dawg and Gator lawn ornaments put in their places on the opening day for RV City.

Sonya Speed was one of the diehards who got there early.

"The city does a great job at both ends, whether you live here or come from out of town."

For her and other RV'ers, the city itself is a big part of the tradition of the game.

"We don't want it to go anywhere, stay right here in Jacksonville," says RV City resident Mike Ellerbee.

And now Mayor John Peyton is doing more than ever before, contractually, to make sure the RV's and the game stay in Jacksonville.

"We've had a lot of competition from other cities wanting this game so I think this contract with the arrangements we worked out is the best deal for the taxpayers," says Peyton. 

Among other incentives, Peyton is now offering to give each university $50,000 to help with expenses and the city will pay for air travel for the Georgia players directly to and from Jacksonville.

"The city, then again, we get parking revenue, concessions revenue, so we do have money coming in, this is really a win- win," says Peyton.

Groups in Georgia have expressed an interest in hosting the game, but even Mike Ellerbee who lives in Atlanta would rather drive his RV full of Dawg fans to Jacksonville.

"From my house, it's 35 miles (to see the game in Georgia), to come here 300, I'd rather come here," says Ellerbee.

The mayor's office is still negotiating a contract with the universities, it would then go to the city council for approval and would be in place for six years.

Representatives from Georgia and Florida did not return phone calls for a comment on the proposed incentives.

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