JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With more than 80,000 people expected to show up to EverBank Field for the Florida-Georgia game Saturday, officials want fans to know the importance of getting there early.
Officials have even heightened security for the weekend and increased patrols in the streets to make sure you have a smooth transition into downtown. They're asking for people to do their part by getting downtown five hours early, and some people got to RV City five days early.
"The message is this, get yourself into Everbank Field early. Have a plan and stick to it. It's important," said Bill McConnell, general manager of SMG and EverBank Field.
Thousands are expected to fill EverBank's 82,000 stadium seats for one of the biggest events of the season, the annual Florida-Georgia game. And even though the game is the same day as Halloween, officials want to make sure your experience-- from parking to safety-- is not a nightmare.
"We have an organized team. We have JSO, fire, Emergency Management, JTA. This is all a coordinated effort," said Mayor Lenny Curry.
This effort will involve six sideline safety zones throughout downtown, where volunteers will provide free assistance ranging from first aid, to directions to water.
The game begins at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, but fans are being asked to arrive five hours early because officials said traffic will come to a halt around 1:30 p.m. when the stadium opens and pedestrians flood the streets.
People are also being asked to use alternative transportation like JTA, the Skyway, water taxis and one of the five park-and-ride shuttles being offered. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office' is also enforcing plenty of safety measures throughout the weekend.
"Underage drinking is prohibited, we will have officers there strictly enforcing that over the weekend. Also, if you purchased tickets, make sure you purchased them from a reputable seller. We don't want you to be a victim of counterfeit tickets," said a JSO spokesperson.
Police are highly recommending people use the traffic audio map and stay updated with the latest information by checking JSO Twitter. They are also reminding people to bring cash for the parking lots and no masks are permitted at Metro Park, RV City and Jacksonville Landing.
Go to JSO's website for information on traffic, maps and public safety, or you can also visit Jax Happening's website for more information as well.