Oct. 18, 2004 from the Pensacola Convention & Visitor Bureau

UPDATE ON PENSACOLA’S RECOVERY FROM HURRICANE IVAN

PENSACOLA, Fla.— Inquiries and encouragement have poured in to the Pensacola Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau in the wake of Hurricane Ivan.

“It is evident that Pensacola holds a special place in the hearts of concerned visitors and former residents, who tell us how much they have treasured their time here and more importantly, that they look forward to returning,” said Ed Schroeder, vice president of tourism for the Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce. “Pensacola’s enduring appeal has withstood the test of time and weather before and we will do it again.”

As Pensacola recovers from the damage caused by Hurricane Ivan, updates on the recovery progress will be posted at www.visitpensacola.com. Visitors may also call (800) 874-1234.
Pensacola Visitor Information Center: The visitor center at the foot of the Pensacola Bay Bridge (1401 E. Gregory St.) received significant damage, and the center plans to operate out of a temporary on-site office to provide visitor information, maps, and brochures, while the main structure is closed for repairs for the next three to five months.
Temporarily the CVB staff is working from the offices of the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce at 117 W. Garden St., Pensacola, FL 32502. All email addresses and phone numbers remain the same. Telephone: 800-874-1234 and fax: 850-432-8211.
Hotels and Restaurants: About 70 percent of hotels rooms are open, but most will be full for the next several weeks with emergency workers, insurance adjusters, and displaced residents. Visitors are advised to check availability prior to arrival. Status reports on individual hotels and restaurants are made available as they are obtained in the “Hurricane Ivan Updates” section of www.visitpensacola.com.
Beaches: The core area of Pensacola Beach will reopen to the public on Nov. 1 including the Hilton Garden Inn and a few restaurants. Perdido Key is closed to the public until further notice as crews clear roads and repair infrastructure.

Airport: Pensacola Regional Airport is open, and service expansion remains on track: In November, American Eagle/American Airlines will once again serve Pensacola Regional Airport with daily flights to Dallas, and in December and January, Delta Connection will expand its non-stop service on routes to Cincinnati, New York City (JFK), Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa.



Roads and Bridges:
• The Interstate 10 bridge over Escambia Bay, which links Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, is open in both directions.
• The Garcon Point Bridge linking the Santa Rosa County mainland with the Gulf Breeze/Navarre area is open.
• The Pensacola Bay Bridge linking downtown Pensacola and Gulf Breeze is open.
• The Bob Sykes Bridge from Gulf Breeze to Pensacola Beach is open to emergency vehicles.
• Highway 98 is open from the Florida state line through to Okaloosa County.
Highway 90 is open.
• SR 292, also known as Perdido Key Road has an anticipated opening of late January.

Attractions:
• Pensacola’s famous National Museum of Naval Aviation re-opened to the public Oct. 11 after sustaining only minor damage to a skylight. www.naval.aviation.muesum.
• The Blue Angels resume practice at Pensacola Naval Air Station at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 20. A public viewing area is located behind the National Museum of Naval Aviation . Additional practices are scheduled for Oct. 26 and 27 and Nov. 2 and 3. Autograph sessions follow the Wednesday practices. http://naval.aviation.museum.
• Pensacola’s premier family amusement park, Sam’s Fun City, is fully operational and open to the public. (850) 505-0800 or www.samsfuncity.com.
• Historic Pensacola Village re-opened Mon., Oct. 4 with eight of 11 historic homes on the tour. Repairs are scheduled to be completed by Nov. 1 and admission is reduced until remaining three buildings are open for tours. www.historicpensacola.org.
• The ZOO in Gulf Breeze remains closed as debris is cleaned up and repairs are made. Check www.the-zoo.com for additional details.
• Pensacola Little Theatre is open and has meeting and reception space available. Call Will Wirth at (850) 434-0257.
• Pensacola Civic Center sustained minor cosmetic damage. Currently it is serving as the temporary offices for the county’s court system while the judicial center is being repaired. Check www.visitpensacola.com for additional updates.
• The Grampa Woo excursion vessel, offering day trips along the Gulf Coast will continue its itinerary as planned. www.grampawoo.com.

Events
• Pensacola Interstate Fair is continuing as planned October 21-31, featuring headliner musical groups, a midway with rides and games, and exhibits. Call (850) 944-4500, www.pensacolafair.com.
• Haunted House Walking Tours and Trolley Tours of Pensacola’s Historic District are continuing as planned Fri. & Sat., October 22 & 23, and Fri. & Sat., October 29 & 30. Narrated tours led by costumed guides start at the Pensacola Historical Museum at 115 East Zaragosa Street and last 60 minutes, visiting 39 sites around the Seville and North Hill historic districts where ghostly sightings are researched and documented by the Pensacola Historical Society. For tickets, call (850) 433-1559, or visit http://www.pensacolahistory.org/ghostwalk.htm.
• The Toby Keith Concert is continuing as planned at 7:30 p.m. on Fri., Oct. 22 at the Pensacola Civic Center. www.pensacolaciviccenter.com.
• The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival has been cancelled for the first time in 31 years. Plan to attend next year’s festival Nov. 4-6, 2005 in historic Seville Square. Visit www.ggaf.org for information.
• Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow will continue as scheduled at Naval Air Station Pensacola Nov. 12-13. www.blueangels.navy.mil.
• Greek Festival is postponed until sometime in November. www.annunciationgoc.org/festival.


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