‘Tomorrow is going to knock us out of the water:’ Businesses prep for Florida-Georgia crowds

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida-Georgia game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. Saturday but the game weekend is officially here.

Business in and around downtown is already seeing an influx of football fans.

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To meet the need, Bold City Brewery in downtown Jacksonville is extending its hours on Saturday. Normally it opens at 1 p.m. but people can come in for a drink starting at 11 a.m.

“I think we’re going to have a huge influx of people,” Bold City Downtown manager Will Frazier said.

Saturday isn’t game time just for Gators and Bulldogs.

“We’re close to the stadium, a lot of people flock down to this area,” Frazier said.

With the Florida-Georgia game back in full swing, workers are prepping for giant crowds and giant profit.

“If we can get back to what we were two years ago, I think it’s going to be a pretty good time,” Frazier said.

According to Visit Jacksonville, two years ago the number of hotel room nights was 30,113. Last year it only reached 10,229.

Workers hope to see those 2019 numbers once again.

“I think this year is going to be even bigger. Post pandemic, things are kind of calming down a little bit,” Uptown Kitchen and Bar server Shelby Moss said.

Moss said you can expect a line out the door.

“Tomorrow is going to knock us out of the water for sure,” Moss said.

She also said special events in town are an added bonus for workers.

“We probably serve about 300 to 400 people on a regular weekend, so you can imagine how many people the games bring in and stuff,” Moss said.

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Frazier said there is another added bonus.

“We look like a real city. It’s pretty cool,” Frazier said.

The game isn’t only helping local hotels, restaurants and bars here in Jacksonville. It’s also bringing in business on the roads when you’re going to and from those places.

Thousands of fans are expected to request Uber and Lyft rides around town on Saturday.

Fulltime Lyft driver Andrew makes sure every ride in his car is one you don’t forget.

However, his car may be one of the only rides available this weekend.

“Uber there’s hardly any drivers left due to the pandemic, and as far as Lyft, we’re facing basically the same thing,” Andrew said.

His car’s interior is lined with pumpkins and purple lights. Riders can also pick out snacks and candy, as well as coffee or an energy drink.

As a fulltime driver, Andrews said he relies on special events for his livelihood.

“It will triple my salary for the weekend,” Andrew said.

As the country continues to recover from the pandemic, he says there are still driver shortages, which is beneficial for him at the moment.

“The more riders, the more money we make,” Andrew said.

Both Lyft and Uber tell us those driver numbers are improving.

Andrew reminds folks to also keep an eye on surge pricing.

“Surge pricing probably will be four times the amount,” Andrew said.

Surge pricing happens when the demand for rides goes up. More ride requests can mean higher prices. It also happens during special events, bad weather and rush hour.

“On an average for a 10-mile ride, probably around 100 bucks. So I would budget a little carefully,” Andrew said.

He also said scheduling a ride ahead of time won’t do you any favors. Either way, you may have to wait awhile. He also said there is potential when you request a ride that no drivers will be available at all.

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A statement we received from Lyft reads:

“As vaccines rolled out and people started moving again, we began to see the demand for rides outpace the number of available drivers. We’ve added thousands of drivers to the platform and expect rider wait times and prices to improve moving forward. For drivers, it continues to be a great time to drive with drivers in top markets earning significantly more than they were pre-pandemic.”

A statement we received from Uber reads:

“I can say that, in the last few months, as vaccination rates have increased and cases in the state have decreased, we have seen more drivers return to driving on the Uber platform.

It’s expected that thousands of fans will be requesting rides to and from the game. As is the case at most major venues, the combination of pedestrian and vehicle congestion can increase traffic delays for drivers and prices for riders. With our commitment to transparency, riders are shown the price of their ride up front in the app before they accept a trip.

Uber reminds riders to please make sure all trips are booked through the Uber platform and to please verify your ride by checking the license plate and vehicle information.”

Businesses ready for Florida & Georgia fans

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