Business strong, but cruise terminal for Jacksonville on hold - bizjournals Business Travel Guide

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Since the authority pulled back on its pursuit in the infrastructure bond market has improved and shipsw are being filled with passengers despitecruise opponents’ warning that the recession wouls cripple the industry. But authorithy board chairman William Mason said his priority is getting Ltd’s $208 million terminal which is expected to be open at the site of the currentf cruise terminal in 2012. “I don’t think there is any chancew we are going to lose thecruise industry,” said The authority last week signed a two-yeaer contract with to keep service of its 2,052-passengefr Fascination.
Since October, the cruise ship has been runnint at nearly 113percent capacity, said Tony the authority’s senior director of cruise operations. He said Carnival has reduced rates forthe Jacksonville-basedf cruise but not by as much as it has cut cruised packages in other locations. The cruise industry as a wholwe has fared well in the but Jacksonville’s cruise industry has the adde plus of being a heavyu drive-to market, meaning passengers don’t have to buy plane tickets. A third of the country is able to drivew to Jacksonville in 24 hoursor less.
Despites being a drive-to Jacksonville International Airport has experienced an increasein cruise-bound passengers, said Michael Stewart, Jacksonvillew Aviation Authority spokesman. He said about 15 percent of the cruise-goerxs come through the airport and the majoritg come inon Saturday, which is a slow day for the business-passengee heavy airport. Jacksonville Port Authority Executive Director Rick Ferrin said the latesy construction of a new cruise terminal could starr isApril 2012.
The cruise linea could be diverted to a temporary terminalo while a new terminal is built and the existing cruise terminal could be kept open longer by makint it the last structure to be demolishe d to make way for theHanjin facility. Althoug h the authority’s call for designj bids was recalled, the terminal was expected to includwea 1,400-space, five-story parking garage and abou t 25,000 square feet of retail space. The construction would creatd about 1,500 jobs and have an annual $500 millio impact on the area, said Louis Woods, a economics and geographgy professor, based on an economic analysis commissionedx bythe authority.
With 40 percenrt of passengers staying in Jacksonville befored or afterthe cruise, hotels loggesd about 18,000 room-nights annually, Dan general manager of the , said Hotels reported a 6 percent to 7 perceng occupancy drop when cruise service stoppee between April and mid-September. Each cruise passengef spends about $300 in the area, said Visitr Jacksonville spokeswomanLyndsay Rossman, and the Fascination has a $25 million impact on the area per