Duval County

“It’s going to be a real boom to our economy": St. Johns County expects benefits from RNC in Jacksonville

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — While the Republican National Convention may be in Jacksonville, experts believe surrounding counties will also benefit from people staying in hotels and seeking entertainment.

| RELATED STORY: 5 Facts about the RNC’s move from Charlotte to Jacksonville |

Action News Jax reporter Russell Colburn was in St. Augustine where St. Johns County leaders say they contributed to Jacksonville’s bid for the convention.

They say they committed about 1700 hotel rooms for this event.

The Action News Jax sky vision drone was over the ancient city on Friday -- County tourism leaders say while it’s busy now, there’s generally a bit of a lull at the end of August with kids going back to school.

They say the RNC figures to bring some added business to hotels, bed and breakfasts and others here.

| Mayor: RNC being hosted in Jacksonville is a ‘tremendous opportunity’ |

Not only that, but the county is hoping to use this as an opportunity to show off this area -- and like what Jacksonville does in London with the Jacksonville Jaguars, hopefully bring more business back here with relocations -- and future vacations.

For Sloane Keats, the owner of Sweetwater Coffee Bar & Gallery in downtown St. Augustine, the pandemic couldn’t have come at a worse time.

“We signed our lease March 14, and then everything shut down March 16,” Keats said.

She couldn’t even open until mid-May and said even then, it’s been tough.

“It’s been very slow because the college isn’t open and the tourists aren’t here,” Keats said.

She and so many other business owners are now turning to something new for help — the Republican National Convention.

Richard Goldman is the president and CEO of the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau.

“It’s going to be a real boom to our economy,” Goldman said. “The exposure to these folks that could potentially generate more business for us long into the future- it’s not measurable- but that’s really the big payout for this event and events like it.”

Keats is optimistic.

“I think it’d be great for the community because everybody has been hurt from the pandemic, so any business we can get would be good,” Keats said.