Birthday will cost millions

Birthday will cost millions
Mayor: City can exceed Jamestown's $42M program in 450th celebration
By KATI BEXLEY
June 26, 2008 ; Updated: 11:53 PM on Thursday, June 26, 2008

It will take millions to have St. Augustine's 450th birthday compare to Virginia's Jamestown 400th anniversary celebration, its executive director told City Commissioners Wednesday.

Jeanne Zeidler, Jamestown's 400th anniversary executive director, met with St. Augustine City Commissioners to detail how Jamestown's event was successful. For starters, Jamestown had a $42 million budget over 12 years as well as $100 million in infrastructure improvements, Zeidler said.

"None of it will be easy because you have to convince people that this is worth investing in," she said.

But St. Augustine Mayor Joe Boles, who has been talking with Zeidler for the last two years, said he's "not afraid at all" of trying to find millions for St. Augustine's birthday.

"We still have plenty of time," he said. "(Zeidler) said the real work doesn't begin until two to three years out because it's hard to get people involved this far (from the celebration)."

"I think we can not only duplicate the Jamestown effort, we can exceed it."

Zeidler was part of panel that kicked off planning Wednesday for St. Augustine's birthday event in 2015.

Jamestown, settled in 1607, was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.

Zeidler toured downtown St. Augustine and said that it is "rich with history and architecture and it's wonderfully compact," meaning it's great for visitors because the historic landmarks are close together.

She said Jamestown received most of its funding from the state of Virginia and 13 sponsors, such as Verizon. The state provided funding various ways, including levying a fee on license plate renewals.

It wasn't easy getting big-name sponsors like Verizon, which gave $2.4 million, Zeidler said. Part of the pitch was giving the company a two-page ad in TIME magazine. Jamestown was one of the magazine's cover stories in 2007.

Boles said he realizes that St. Augustine can't count on state funding for the next couple of years, but he is expecting to see federal funding. There is a national commission that is already being put together for St. Augustine, he said.

Jamestown also had a staff under a five-year contract hired just for the anniversary. And during the three-day celebration there 3,000 volunteer shifts.

"It was huge," Zeidler said. "It was years in the making."

St. Augustine commissioners were impressed.

"There are so many facets in something that large," said Commissioner Don Crichlow. "You did a great job."

Reader Comments
+ 1 Rating
Posted by: TheAug at Jun 26, 2008 at 08:18:28 PM

It makes you wonder, with today's economic climate, if little St. Augustine will be able to afford all that it takes to compete in this market.

Posted by: hurley1105 at Jun 27, 2008 at 10:00:01 AM

It is amazing how our elected govt. officials even consider an option to have a multi-million dollar event with today's economic status. In stead, how about using the money for more property tax breaks, or use it for other means that gives back to the economy.

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