Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee Makes Key Decision on Cruise Ship Management; Landry & Kling to Provide Ships for Super Bowl XXXIX.

Business, News, Travel & Sports Editors

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 28, 2002

Today the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee moved a step closer to making Jacksonville's "Super Bowl on the River" a reality by naming Landry & Kling, specialists in cruise ship event management, as the exclusive management company for dockside ship housing. This initiative is vital to accommodate corporate sponsors and NFL affiliates in Jacksonville for Super Bowl XXXIX to be played in February 2005.

"This decision marks the next logical step in our planning process," said Mike Weinstein, president and CEO of the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee. Landry & Kling's top planning focus will be contracting and coordinating arrangements between cruise lines and corporate sponsors to provide more than 8,000 additional rooms in the city -- unprecedented for a sporting event. "We interviewed several cruise ship management companies and found that Landry and Kling was the best match for us. The company has an impressive background in handling dockside ship housing for large events, including the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona," said Weinstein.

Ultimately, the Host Committee envisions eight to ten cruise ships to be berthed within walking distance of ALLTEL Stadium. "Our goal is to create one of the most memorable -- and successful -- Super Bowls ever and to extend that positive experience to all areas of our community," said Host Committee Co-Chairman Tom Petway. "The cruise ships are an important part of our vision for Super Bowl XXXIX, and Landry and Kling has the experience and know-how to help make our vision a reality," said Petway.

In the last two decades, Landry & Kling has had a number of "firsts" when planning business events at sea including the first dockside charters or "floating hotels" for Digital Equipment Corporation (now Compaq Corporation) in 1987. At that event, more than 15,000 people were accommodated in a 10-day period. Other "floating hotel" projects include the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and the American Heart Association Conference in New Orleans in 1996 and 2000.

Landry & Kling has handled group cruises and charters for a blue-chip list of clients. The company has operated corporate programs ranging in size from 50 to 10,000 people and its staff collectively has more than 200 years of cruise experience.

"We're really honored to have been chosen to spearhead the chartering of vessels for this exciting event," said Joyce Landry, President & CEO for Landry & Kling. "Although it will be a challenge, I am confident that our team has the knowledge and experience to make this project an overwhelming success."

Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee, Inc. is a not-for-profit Florida corporation made up of regional community and business leaders. The committee has the responsibility for implementing Jacksonville's plan for Super Bowl XXXIX culminating with the game at ALLTEL Stadium on February 6, 2005.

Miami-based Landry and Kling, Inc. offers ship selection or complete program management service for corporate cruise programs and full-ship charters worldwide, including incentives, conventions and meetings at sea. The company is active in the travel and meeting/incentive communities, and its employees have affiliations and memberships with organizations like MPI (Meeting Professionals International), SITE (Society of Incentive & Travel Executives), CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), FCCA (Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association), GMCVB (Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau), and FLAUSA (Visit Florida). Landry & Kling is a subsidiary of MyTravel Group, plc. In North America, MyTravel is made up of the North America Leisure Group and Travel Services International subsidiaries of Airtours, plc. For more information on Landry & Kling -- the most experienced cruise resource for business events at sea -- visit http://www.landrykling.com.