JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jean Dourat is geared up and ready for this weekend. As a cab driver, he knows thousands of extra people means more money in his pocket.
"Working in transportation, you are the ambassador. Take them, pick them up at the airport. The first impression counts," he said.
The River City is host to numerous events throughout the week and weekend, including the Jazz Festival. That event will take place in the heart of downtown, and most likely rake in $20 million. Nearby at EverBank, 35,000 people are expected to pack out the U.S. Men's soccer game against Scotland.
"Historically, we haven't seen those big numbers. We haven't seen huge numbers of visitors on Memorial Day weekend. This is a trend we want to see and something our hotel and hospitality community has really hoped for for years," Katie Kurycki with Visit Jacksonville said.
According to Visit Jacksonville, this will be the biggest weekend so far in 2012. In addition to music and soccer, there's a Jehovah's Witness Convention at the arena and starting Wednesday, the NCAA Preliminary East Coast Track and Field Championship at UNF. D1 teams from everywhere east of the Mississippi are expected to take up 10,000 hotel rooms.
"We are getting very close to every area of the city having hotels full. Having an amazing amount of visitors in the city," Kurycki continued.
Dourat says the economic boom is good for the city, good for him and good for his colleagues. To visitors in town he also has a message.
"Whosoever you are from all over the world. Welcome to Jacksonville," he said.
With so much going on, event organizers are asking for patience. They suggest leaving early to get to your destination.
