Jekyll Island Revitalization Update September 17, 2008
From the desk of C. Jones Hooks
Executive Director
Jekyll Island - State Park Authority
It is a pleasure for me to share the latest information from the Jekyll Island Authority with you, our vested homeowners and visitors.
JEKYLL ISLAND VISITATION ANALYSIS:
The Jekyll Island Visitation Analysis shared at the Sept. 15 board meeting and produced by an independent research firm, Bleakly and Associates, should be extremely helpful as we continue to lay the ground work for our Island’s future success. The report shows that island visitation peaked in the 1988-1989 time period, when we saw approximately 2.1 million guests visit Jekyll Island. Unfortunately since that time, we have seen a steady decline in visitation. Last year only 1.49 million visitors came to Jekyll Island. In order to accomplish our mission of trustworthy stewardship and generation of revenues, the analysis shows that we will need to increase tourism and visitation. Because Jekyll Island is a self-funded entity, the analysis provides a wake-up call to the importance for the Jekyll Island Authority to increase visitation so that the costs to care for the island are manageable. As you’re aware in the Jekyll Island Club Historic Landmark District alone, we have over $30 million in preservation needs. The good news is that by increasing visitation by only 21% over 1988-1989 levels, the island can finance operations and improve our public facilities. Jekyll Island will then remain an affordable and attractive place for all Georgians to enjoy. Further, the forecasting model supports how visitation can increase with limited, low-density redevelopment of existing sites that affect only 6% of the island. This supports our approach of balance between redevelopment and conservation/preservation activities. It was also interesting that the Bleakly report found revenue increases to the Jekyll Island Authority via public/private partner lease agreements are key to funding the needed infrastructure, as well as improvements to public amenities like golf courses, beach management and more.
KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER:
- Annual visitation to the island has been declining at a 2.6% annual rate since 2002 and is down roughly 23% since 1988-1989.
- When adjusted for inflation, JIA revenues have declined at a 2.3% annual rate since 2002
- Visitation can increase with limited, low density redevelopment and development.
- Total development needed to support visitation and JIA income projections over the next 15 years represents a net addition of roughly 1000 lodging units, 400 dwelling units, and 25,000 commercial square feet over levels that existed 20 years ago.
- Jekyll Island has approximately 4226 acres and by law, 65% must remain undeveloped.
- Of the remaining 35%, only 256 acres or 6% of the Island is directly impacted. Most of this small area is already development with existing hotels and the convention center.
Bleakly and Associates’ work is comprehensive. A public in-depth presentation will be offered Sept. 29 at 2:00 p.m. at the Jekyll Island Convention Center. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend!
JEKYLL ISLAND DESIGN GUIDELINES: Another important policy initiative related to Jekyll Island Revitalization is the Jekyll Island Design Guidelines. While already put into practical use, the Design Guidelines dictate the architectural design, height, scale and density of all new construction. The Design Guidelines were developed with the Jekyll Island Authority by Cooper Carry, a leader in the field of connective architecture. Since the “First Reading”, we have received lots of input and public comments. The Jekyll Island Authority Board will consider adoption of the Design Guidelines at its October 20th meeting.
OTHER NEWS: Construction continues on our first new hotel construction, the Hampton Inn & Suites. With plans progressing and construction underway on this and other properties, we are already seeing an immediate return of conventions interested in bringing their groups back to Jekyll Island! We are pleased to announce that Jekyll Island has been selected as the host for a 2009 meeting of the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, as well as the Georgia Press Association 2009 annual conference. We appreciate your interest in Jekyll Island, and encourage you to stay in touch. I value your continued insight and feedback, please check out our website www.jekyllisland.com for up-to-date information.
Kind Regards,
Jones Hooks
Executive Director, Jekyll Island - State Park Authority
Tags: georgia coast, jekyll island, jekyll island authority, jekyll island revitalization, Jekyll Island visitation
September 18th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Where is the Hampton Inn going to be located? On the site of the old Ramada Inn, Holiday Inn or Buccaneer? What is going in on the sites of the other two?
My family has been coming to Jekyll for 25 years. All the new construction and new facilities is exciting. It has been sad seeing Jekyll Island decline over the years. I’m so glad efforts have been started for the revitalization of our favorite place on Earth.
See you next June.
Sincerely,
Paula Englert
Louisville, KY.
September 18th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Thank you for the “Blogs” and keeping the info on what’s happening on Jekyll going. This year(July 2009)our family will be visiting Jekyll for the 50th year. We have kept up with the revitalization proposals and I feel that something needs to be done but that it should not exceed the legislative mandates imposed when Jekyll was first developed by the State. It needs to remain within the 65/35 and remain “affordable”. Working to draw the small to medium conferences back is a must and some limited or even maybe just necessary retail also. One of the most dramatic draws of Jekyll is its natural and relaxed atmoshere and the LAST thing needed is another over developed beach. There are already plenty of those to go “enjoy” on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. Again thank you for the “Blogs” and the opportunity to comment. See you in November and July.
September 18th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
The new Hampton Inn & Suites is a part of the Jekyll Ocean Oaks project, and replaces the old Holiday Inn on Jekyll Island. The Buccaneer replacement project is being called Canopy Bluff, and consists of a full-service hotel with conference space and a condominium building. We expect them to break ground on construction very soon. The Canopy Bluff folks have worked hard to save as many of the large oaks trees as possible, and we are pleased with the plans so far.
That same company also owns the lease on the old Georgia Coast inn site, and are working on ideas to use that site in a way that will compliment Cnaopy Bluff. They have not yet submitted plans for our Board to approve, but we are excited that they will soon move forward.
We greatly appreciate your visits to Jekyll island. Please return soon and often, and tell others!
November 13th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
My wife and I have been coming to Jekyll Island regularly for over 15 years. I am amazed at the other commenters who have been coming even longer. We love the relaxed, unspoiled experience of Jekyll Island and hope it remains so. I understand the need to draw more visitors and convention business. Just keep the impact to the island to a minimum as mandated by the legislation. It will be very interesting to see the new developments. We hope to make it down to Jekyll Island in 2009.