450th Commission takes first baby step Thursday

450th Commission takes first baby step Thursday



By PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 06/19/09

The 14-member St. Augustine 450th Commemoration Commission learned Thursday that it must first seek the "bones" of an internal structure before it begins to flesh out the myriad details required to present the city's largest birthday celebration ever.

Dana Ste. Claire, the commission's executive director, said the 2015 event is "a celebration of who we are. We're the only city in the United States that can celebrate 450 years of continuous occupation."

The 2015 commemoration will feature significant events, festivals, re-enactments and exchanges and displays of Native American, African American and European cultures.

"Our history is truly unique. We want the whole world to know about us," Ste. Claire said.

But to have a flawless event, both city and county need to carefully plan every aspect of infrastructure: Parking, transportation, rest rooms, way-finding signs, hotel rooms, meeting rooms, museums, economic development, natural resources among other necessities.

Unity of history

The commission's first meeting, held at Flagler College's Ringhaver Center, drew significant public attendance.

Mayor Joe Boles said the celebration's connection with Spain will be close, with the mayors of Aviles and Cartegena both expressing interest in participating.

"Participation means financial backing," Boles said. "There are 46 million Hispanic residents in the United States (who may want to experience their cultural heritage) and we're working with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which will have a permanent place to showcase that story."

Ste. Claire said that before the 2015 birthday bash, the city in 2013 will celebrate the 500th anniversary of Don Ponce de Leon's discovery of Florida in 1513.

"And at the same time, the Spanish will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of their constitution," he said. "We have a monument marking an earlier anniversary on our Plaza, which may be the only one in existence."

Boles said this area's history includes many milestones, such as being the birthplace of Christianity in the New World so the Catholic Church should be involved.

"The first Mass was celebrated right here, and we'll be inviting the (Spanish) Royal Family and the Pope and perhaps Queen Elizabeth II of England," he said. "And 100 years before the Emancipation Proclamation, there were free blacks here fighting to protect their homes."

Virginia's experience

Mayor Jeanne Zeidler of Williamsburg, who also headed the 400th anniversary celebration for Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown in 2007, has been hired by the city as a consultant to help with planning the 450th.

Zeidler said a big hit there was the re-creation of three ships used by English colonists to come to America: "Susan Constant," "Godspeed" and "Discovery."

Nearly everyone wanted a tour. "They became an icon of the commemoration," Ziedler said.

Jamestown served as Virginia's capitol for most of the 1600s, Williamsburg from 1699 to 1780. Yorktown was the scene of a vital American and French victory over the English Army during the Revolutionary War.

"Our region is a long-standing tourist destination," Zeidler said.

Overall, that region enjoyed a total investment in public and private funds of $400 million. After the celebration, visits to both cities were up 40-50 percent.

On the anniversary day, there were 4,000 performers, 2,00 volunteers, 63,000 guests, six stages an 100 exhibits.

"It was a huge task," she said. "Don't underestimate the task before you."

Impact: Sales of $1.2 billion; 20,621 jobs; 12 billion media hits.

The city's situation

Dana Ste. Claire said the commission was looking for ideas. One entrepreneur, he said, has already minted unauthorized commemorative coins and planned to sell them.

"We have the same compelling history as Jamestown," he said. "We have the theme. We have to find the structure."

The city has already been making infrastructure improvements, such as restoring the three original Flagler fountains. It plans others, such as the seawall, when there's enough money.

Boles said a federal commission is forming that will eventually mean $500,000 per year to the city for the event.

"Though that won't come until 2010," he said. "We don't have a big budget for this because we don't have a game plan yet. We're not ready to put the flesh on the bones. We're looking to get the bones in place."

But, he said, this could be the biggest celebration this country could see, short of the Olympics or a World's Fair.

"Big jobs start with small jobs, small steps," he said.

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