This Week In Jacksonville: JAXPORT
Most. Of us already know it's a great place to live now Northeast, Florida rises, in the ranks of great places to visit and to work Jack's, port earning top billing, among the ports in the Sunshine, State will, explain how and what that means for employment in the river city plus tourism, in the state's setting a new record visit, Jacksonville, joins us on this week in Jacksonville. So. Glad you're with us this morning so what would it mean to your organization. To grow by 23, percent in a single year as we approach the end of 2018 the port of Jacksonville, gets to stand, on top now the busiest, container port, in the state of Florida joining, us right now Vince Cameron, president of the International, Longshoremen's, Association, and, local 1408, Vince estate 15. Seaports. And then Jack smells number one in terms of volume of, containers. So what's this mean for our area will we hear that number are, you kidding me it just means a growth the stuff that you've been already seeing when you look around you see all these warehouses, popping, up we are a hub of activity, there's. Construction. Going, on along the highways, and byways to, make the infrastructure, even more in. You. Know hospitable. To the, the growth that's occurring in this area so that 23%, was, a long time coming and when we're finished with this deep dredging, man you know we'll, have some more growth to go with that well it's interesting when we talked about dredging, it's to compete, and it's so that Jack's, port is able to. Include. Some of the international, business that these other ports who are not too far from us like Savannah, say, that they're already ready to take where. Do you think we, stand in terms of growth, opportunities, compared, to whether we're talking about Savannah. Or I guess Charleston, port of, well. You know I've gone to a lot of the state of the ports for the eSports, some of the same points that you've named and so. They've got a lot going, on you, gotta remember, that the catalyst, for all the disses when the Panama, and the Suez Canal increased. The size of their locks which allows to accommodate, allows, an accommodation, now of the larger. Container. Vessels, to now make their way through those canals and on to the East Coast saving. Having, to train or truck, Agro from, the west coast all the way to the east coast the biggest savings for, for. Freight is by, water and so now that they've got these bigger ships now we on, the East Coast got to accommodate, him and so, Jacksonville. Was poised to be a player in that scenario. We. Were just limited by the depth of the river right, and so, while we had been seeing a trickling, of that cargo since, like, 2008. 2009. You, know dynamics is fully. Playing out the, canals, are finished I think I think they finished about a year ago two years ago and within, that window there's been an increase in influx, of cargo all along the East Coast and there, are a few major players including, Savannah including, Charleston, including. Jacksonville. North, Fork New York New Jersey that will be major players in this, game so this jump to the front of the line in the state of Florida is no, surprise is, what we have been saying as we, advocate, it for this so it, says we have more. Opportunity, that growth do we have the workers to support it sure sure, Jacksonville, is a you, know has the infrastructure, we've had a, base, of people at one time if you recall we were like a co looked, like we were going to become a telecommunication. Hub. Right so we won't we've had the, employment, base to, make it happen and, and. A good-paying job so, it's not you, know the bottom of the line jobs and people, are just gravitating. Right, now there's been a you, know unemployment is at an all-time low which, is a good thing but. On it but, employment, of the good jobs is where we're trying to marry up wit now in the, maritime, you, know it it, it uh that's, what it poses in this, whole equation and, um yeah we've got to work forth we just got to train them we got all kind of training going on on our end of the equation right now so that we can be adequately repaired, for, the increased demands on us one, of the things I saw Jack's board confirms some of the numbers for us one point two seven million, cargo, containers, moved across the docks that's among three terminals talleyrand dames, point in Blount Island but we know that a lot, of the gains there, were huge gains, in terms of cargo because of. Order Rico and what happened there so is that sustainable. Should we be worried that while this growth was just because of what happened with hurricane Maria, or, how do we sustain that no no, I would, say to you that Wow. In, this dynamic the, puerto. Rican piece, of the equation has actually, been a shrinking, violet right. At. One time there was about five different lines that are that left out of Jacksonville, in Hamlet puerto rican cargo jacksonville, has been de puerto rican hub for a long time and while puerto rico struggled.
With Its only economic, woes it, became the the companies, that were trying to find, that you know find a profit, the words, also finding. It real tough to find a profit, proper, ability in in. Puerto Rico and so you went from five lines to I think now we got about three, lines heading, in there but, yeah true, that was an influx under, the, worst of circumstances right. But I would tell you that that piece of it has been it's. Been shrinking while, South. American. And Asian. Cargo. Has been increased, when you look at the dynamic, now that, represents. At one time that might have represented, 90, percent of our cargo mix and now it probably represents, maybe, 25, percent of our cargo mix may be full. 35. Percent of our cargo mix so Vincent maybe, last question we got about a minute left but, you mentioned Asian. Trade that really has been the strongest area, of growth for Jackson Jack's port over the past ten years is what I'm reading and ultimately I know Jacksonville, as we talked a moment ago wants, to capture more of the business from those larger, ships, that's why deepening, the harbor is crucial, right oh yeah I mean let me tell you something. One. Of the I told you earlier I went to a state of the port in Savannah they had right, now they got we got 16,000. TEU ships that require almost, 50 feet of water to clear through and the next dynamic, the orders that the lines are putting in even they represent, one percent of the ships. Out there right now is for 22,000. TEU ships so. Big that the Port of Savannah wants, to take their bridge, it looks like the dam terminal they want to take it down so. They can accommodate these big ships they have that kind of infrastructure, there is growth that is gonna come to the East Coast and all, it takes is a certain, key ports to be prepared. To handle that with i-95. I-75. 10. And uh and. 16, up the road our infrastructure. Is right and tight to be in that equation we can do this we just got, to finish digging that river out that. You're always dynamic about it but clearly there's some excitement for, the folks who are working here at Jack's port and, I'm so glad to have you thanks for sure thank you thank you I appreciate being, here today so. We shift our focus from transportation, to tourism Michael, Corrigan from visit Jacksonville, persuades us why it's easier here and, it talks about the impact of record-setting. Visitors, that's next on this weekend Jacksonville. Fresh-baked. Handcrafted. And made, with 100%, clean ingredients, now. Join, my Panera Rewards, to receive a free bagel every day for the end of the year Panera. Food, as it should be. Never. Let go of your dreams the mercedes-benz, winter, event is back leased, the GLC 304, 459 a month at your local mercedes-benz, dealer mercedes-benz, the best or nothing, this. Time of year Lenny and I take time to celebrate family, and faith we. Reflect, and think of how we work to keep our families, safe, we. Are thankful for coming through tough times together to rebuild and restore now. Jacksonville. Is a city on the rise with, hope and opportunity, in every neighborhood, but with more work left to do we, are grateful for the opportunity to. Serve our family, and yours Happy, Holidays Merry, Christmas and have a Happy New Year. And. Right, now so, are you because, our Chevy employee discount, is now available, to everything. Is. What we pay and not a cent more. Use. Your employee discount for everyone to get a total value of twelve thousand five hundred dollars on this silverado when you finance with GM financial, get, the Chevy employee, discount, for everyone today every, time we do a breaking, news alert the sole purpose of it is to keep, the families, of our viewers, safe. Tornado warning, West Knight elementary, school being put on lockdown with, breaking news that is so much more important, to getting at than being first if it's not accurate information, we're not going on there but news for Jax will stay on breaking news as long as it continues, to be breaking news until it's over. Until things are safe, that's what our viewers count, on us for news. For Jax your place for breaking, news alerts. Fresh-baked. Handcrafted. And made, with 100%, clean ingredients. Now. Join, my Panera Rewards, to receive a free bagel every day through the end of the year Panera. Food, as it should be in this, moment true. Local, news is more important, than ever and, it's important, to get local, news from, people you know and trust, news, for Jax continues. To make choices that put the people of Jacksonville, first and in, the process, redefine.
What Local, news coverage means in our town making, it worth your time to watch that's. Our promise and our commitment, to you every. Day, channel. For the. Local. Station, you're, watching this week in Jacksonville. With Kent Justice the Florida's population, continues, to grow even more the, number of people visiting, each year and that's our focus in this segment Florida. Set another tourism, record welcoming, ninety, five point eight million visitors, from January, through September that's, according to visit, Florida so this is the highest number of visitors in any nine months in Florida's history represents. A six point seven percent increase over the eighty, nine point eight million visitors during that same period a year before in 2017. Also. Includes 85. Million domestic, visitors eight million overseas visitors, 2.8. Million visitors, from, Canada, so, those are some statewide numbers, and visit Jacksonville, is the tourism agency, here in Duval County CEO, Michael, Corrigan joining us great, to see you again and I know this is now six, months since you've taken on this role how, do you feel about seeing these, numbers for the state and then the trend that says more people are coming it's great news Kent I appreciate the opportunity to be here and talk about it we're. Still, experiencing, great growth in tourism here, and in, Northeast Florida especially in Jacksonville, and we, want to keep those numbers growing as part of the reason that I was attracted to this, job in the first place yeah, so, coming. Aboard obviously, Paul ass'll it had had left some good things in place but what. Are the new initiatives, or what are the things that you're bringing in to say let's let's do it even better and bigger here in Jacksonville well we continue to look at growing, Jackson was the destination a destination for two, different kind of tourists one is the convention tourists convention, tourism is a major industry. Driver, here in Jacksonville, the second is the leisure traveler, we want to encourage more leisure travelers to come to Jacksonville, and experience, it so we market conventions, and leisure travel throughout the United States so you said kind of a key word a hot buzzword, if you will especially the last several months, conventions. Convention, Center a new one has been discussed, and ultimately the downtown investment authority recently said hey that's not gonna be part of our plan but, beyond having a bigger space or a different space you, can still do conventions, at different places, different. Hotels. And, etc, here in the area right sure can't we we do a number of great unique different, things that a lot of other communities can't do and Jackson, was always been a community that does things differently and makes, a different experience for those for, those tourists, and there's convention travelers we, know that we don't have a large, amusement, park like a Disneyworld here in Jacksonville, but we do have some incredible, Natural Resources we have some amazing attractions, we have some great hotel partners, and we do have a convention center and we promote all those things when we go out around, the country to tell s groups. And associations to bring your business to Jacksonville, yeah so I'm curious about this. Are. You involved in any of the planning, or do you just kind of have to take the planning, for the. Way downtown, will look in the future or, River. Way. Activation. I mean you have to look at all those things and say well I hope when that happens we can use. That to our advantage in this way well we're always working on it and we're always partnering, with the mayor and the City Council and the downtown Investment Authority to to look at the future and see how we can continue to improve Jacksonville. As the destination for for tourists to come to we're always satisfied, with what we have we're always looking to grow and get better we.
Know That Jackson was can continue, to continue to involve in the coming weeks and months there's, already been over a thousand hotel rooms announced in downtown Jacksonville, already. Announced to be, built so we know that that growth is coming and we're going to help them grow and help them be successful once, they open they're talking, a lot about downtown. But clearly one of the, wonderful, things that we have in our region is out at the beaches how, is that plug into what visit Jacksonville visit. Jacksonville, are our, name, is visit Jacksonville and it's beaches and we have three amazing beaches we have over 40 miles of oceanfront. Down, at Jacksonville Beach Neptune Beach in Atlantic Beach and they are great partners and our work we, know that the, tourists, come for different reasons and many of them come to touch, the Atlantic Ocean and experience, the beach and and the beaches do a great job of taking, care of tourists when they get here governor, Scott made this announcement, of the state numbers uh just, a little while ago and said hey proud to announce Florida's torn industry continuing to set records but mentioned since, December, 2010, Florida. Welcome to record number of travelers for twenty seven quarters, seven. Consecutive years of record visitation, and visitor spending etc what's the number or figure here in Northeast Florida even, better Kent in Jacksonville. We have over 60 months of growth, in our in our hotel business. And that's amazing it's unprecedented it, actually went down for the first time a month, ago but, for sixty months in a row that we had increased tourism, here in Duval, County and that's something we should be extremely, proud of what, are the factors, that make it happen that way and how do you continue. To build that well I mean it number. A lot of us what we do is what we're promoting Jacksonville, as a destination if. You look at the state numbers and compare them to Jacksonville, we really, had about a four point three percent increase, in tourism during, that period that he's talking about so so similar to what he had in. In. Reality there's, a number of factors that go into that obviously everything that happens makes a difference actually. Storm when storms happen the cleanup from those storms that actually affects how tourism happens obviously, when a storm hits there's an instant reduction in number of tourists that come to town through but immediately following that there's an increase in a number of workers that come in to restore the communities that have been damaged because of the storms so everything. Good that happens in Jacksonville has has, a result, and everything that bad that happens has a resulting and we work continually. To make sure that we're addressing both of those all the time Mike. We got another minute laughed what are some of the exciting things you see coming in this first quarter even all of 2019. Well we're doing a bunch of stuff a visit actionable that's going to interest tourists, and the citizens alike and we're creating a 360, videos and our visitor centers we're going to encourage, visitors.
To Come in and expect, in Jacksonville and digitally. Through 360 lenses, we're also putting kiosk around the city for us to be able to for tourists to be able to go to and find out information about locations, of lodging, and restaurants, and attractions they. Can attend where will some of those kiosks we're not just at the airport right no no no the first two kiosks, one will be on will, be at the beaches. Town center and the other won't be at the Jacksonville Zoo because, more, visitors attend go, visit to actual zoo than any other attraction in Northeast Florida so we're gonna put them where the density is to start with and then grow them from that particularly I didn't mean to cut you off we were talking about kiosks, what else yeah, we're we're, putting the finishing touches on the app we know that app, would make visitors experience a lot easier and the app that we're building is designed to help you enjoy your visit why are you here in Northeast Florida and the last one is self-guided, tours you'll, be able to use that app to do self got a tour around the community, yeah, I think. Like. You said not just the the people are coming in for leisure travel, but. The folks who live here might be able to use that as well and experience. More of what our our area. Has to offer absolutely, what, a pleasure thank, you so much and congratulations on, the new role first time we've got to talk since you took over this I appreciate it thanks for having me so. Helping. Veterans with their transition to civilian careers we're diving deep on the USO, program called Pathfinder which, is leading the entire nation in participants that's in our area, and that's, next on this week in Jacksonville stay with us. When, things go wrong and. You're. In unfamiliar, territory, you. Need a team of attorneys who've. Got your back are. Dedicated. To outmaneuvering, and out playing the competition. Who. Know the terrain and will. Go anywhere, they're needed to defend your rights, I'm. Eddie Farah I'm Chuck, Farah we've been protecting you and your family since, 1979.
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The Office, were in right now is located, in device tower building and they. Provided all the the, build out of this space and they. Also are providing the. Training rooms and, Facial programs. That help us to share, with the military how, they can deal with that as well you, know you you talked about USO, and the role there and helping with transitions, what. Are some of the challenges because obviously, those. Of us in Northeast Florida southeast, Georgia we, are, not, just military friendly we love. Veterans. And military families, still serving what, are those challenges with, transitioning, from that life of service, to civilian, life just think about this way let's just take you up to Parris. Island for, the introduction. To the Marine Corps set, you down there and how well would you fit, - that that sweating. Already, you know and, you think about that it's just like the military person leaving what they've been doing for the past twenty years going, back into civilian world trying. To figure out all the ins and outs of how to do things that way we're, so used to doing things, the military, way that. We need to be able to figure out some things as. We go back into the civilian world things, like resumes, I I was, in the military for 20 years when, I got out of the military I could I can count on one finger how, many resumes, I've ever done I'd count on one finger how many interviews, I've ever done and to be able to have people come alongside us, and be all say we're, gonna help you connect. With the right resources to. Do. That and and to learn those, career, skills over. The years I've heard that, businesses. Have, a tough time understanding the. Skills, that, that veteran. Has developed, and how they translate into, the civilian world and I think that's again, as true I think it's it's something, that is easily, overcome because, the military is is, a great, resource, for people. Who have a leadership experience. They have you. Know time management skills they have project. Management program management, type skills they've. Done it all I think as somebody who comes in the military, and, I place with place a, new, challenge, before them they're. Ready to go at it and - and get it done so, anybody who hires the military person will, get a great resource, great person to be able to make. Things happen in their organization, yeah Brian. What's the best success, story, you know of a veteran coming through this path under program um, there's, ton of people who are coming through the program and, connecting. With great resources, one. Of the resources that we're doing right now is, that we're partnering with with. Google and we are getting them, connected with a support. Professional, certification. Program that, helps our members, that go through the program it's eight-month totally free program, that they do online they, come out with a certification that, allows them to get. Into the IT world. And we have people going through that right, now and as, they get out I'm excited to see them transition. From what they used to do in the military into. The. IT, field, and, those type of things. Are happening all over the. People that we are meeting with yeah, maybe. Last thing but who should be approaching. You right now who should be saying oh I, just heard about this on that interview, I should, go talk to them with, about the Pathfinder, program call oh hello people first off we want to talk to the military members who are about. 12. Months out from getting, out of the military and. Also, spouses, a transition, from TV station to station well. The pieces we have really talked about but the, transitioning. Military spouse, coming. From San Diego north. Coming, here and they have no I mean when I first got in the military, my, first TV station was Hawaii great location right I get out there in December third was on deployment January. 9th and my. Wife was there kind of all alone kind of figure out what was going on so to have a group like like the USO Pathfinder, here, to help them find, that network find that next job so they can get employed with, relevant, work and and, and things like that the other people I really, want to urge. That come, talk to us our employees. Who want to hire military, members, because that's a great lease a great location here in Jacksonville, a great, military town we. Are just you, know we are working together to get. Our people the the jobs they need to, be, successful as a transition. And. For the 10th year in a row the courtyard, of the State Capitol was, the site of one of 1400.
Wreaths Across America, celebrations. That was reason enough for Governor electron, DeSantis, to make his first public appearance in Tallahassee, and it was not accidental, at, all this, annual event aims to remember, honor and teach people about the sacrifices, made by those who died serving our country, organizers. Say that the 50, state event is designed to make it easier for those who can't visit a National, Cemetery and mr. DeSantis as you know a veteran, and he wore his Bronze, Star, for his service in Iraq on his lapel, the, governor, elastic, also, used the occasion to say Florida remain very, veteran-friendly even, look for more opportunities, for veterans here, all. Right so this week in Jacksonville airs each Sunday morning this time next week joined by state senator Rob Bradley he begins another term as the important chairman of the Appropriations. Committee and state, representative, Travis Cummings he's got the same role in the house he joins us to were to talk about expectations. For the coming year thanks, for joining us on this week in Jackson more. People in Northeast, Florida and, South Georgia get, their news from news for Jax than anywhere, else.
2018-12-19 16:51
