Georgia-Florida weekend concerts at the landing in limbo

Thousands of Florida Gator and Georgia Bulldog fans will flock to Jacksonville next weekend, and many plan on seeing live music and concerts at the Landing downtown.

But the city hasn’t permitted the concerts, and say the Landing’s operators didn’t request the necessary permits in time.

Councilman Matt Schellenberg tells Action News Jax that Jacksonville Landing Investments, or Sleiman Enterprises, hadn't had to file permits prior to the city serving the company an eviction notice earlier this year.

College football fan Robert Gannon says the Landing is a prominent hub of “Georgia-Florida” weekend in Jacksonville.

Gannon recalled attending the game, and spending time at the Landing when the Gators played here in the late 1990s.

"It’s central to the atmosphere of the game," the Florida Gator football fan said.

The Landing has listed the concert lineups on their website, but the city hasn’t permitted the concerts. JLI, or Sleiman Enterprises, said the city hasn’t granted the Landing’s request for special event permits.

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Mayor Lenny Curry’s Chief of Staff Brian Hughes tells Action News Jax that Sleiman Enterprises requested the permit a little more than two weeks ago, but should've done so at least 90 days in advance.

Hughes sent the following statement: 
"JLI waited until October 1, 2018 to apply for a special event permit for Florida-Georgia, past the ordinance code's advance 90-day submission requirement. Before the permit itself can be formally processed, consideration for waiving this 90-day period must be completed. In light of recent events, coupled with the City's significant public health and safety concerns, both the 90-day submission period waiver and special event permit are under careful consideration by the administration."

We obtained the letter sent to JLI on Oct. 11 demanding the Landing  “…cease and desist all advertising and promoting …” of the Georgia-Florida weekend concerts until they obtain a lawful permit.

Councilman Matt Schellenberg tells us the Landing had been exempt from filing these requests prior to being served an eviction notice by the city earlier this year.

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"In fact, up until this year, there was never a requirement for a permit for the Florida-Georgia game," Schellenberg said.

He says the Landing was exempt from having to file these permits until a few months ago. Action News Jax emailed the city in an attempt to confirm this information.

We also requested previous special event permit requests filed at the Landing, and permits granted by the city in recent years, but we're waiting for a response from the city.

Action News Jax reported in May that the city terminated Sleiman Enterprises’ lease for the Landing, causing Sleiman to file a counter suit against the city.

Sleiman Enterprises tells Action News Jax reporter Ryan Nelson in a statement:

“For more than three decades, The Jacksonville Landing is the epicenter for community gatherings and celebrations of all kinds. As the city administration has stated, it is “Jacksonville’s front lawn” and “the core of downtown.”

We fully expect to resolve the issue of the permit to maintain the tradition and look forward to continuing to work with the city in welcoming those returning to Jacksonville and those arriving for the first time, not just for the upcoming Georgia-Florida festivities, but for many years to come.”

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