Given the basketball star's busy schedule, "it's not that easy getting to Tim Duncan" to work out details of his contract to advertise the Virgin Islands, said Tourism Commissioner-designee Rafael Jackson. "The problem here is that as soon as the NBA season closes, he goes right into training for the Olympics."
However, Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II and Assistant Tourism Commissioner Pam Richards will have a face-to-face Monday night with the hometown hero in San Antonio after the Spurs play Vancouver.
James will present him with a specially designed chess set as a gift from the Virgin Islands.
Last week Jackson was hoping to attend the event and meet with Duncan. His department and the government's public relations firm, Martin Public Relations, have been trying to work through Duncan's agent Mark Scott and St. Croix attorney Joel Holt to set up a meeting. But Tuesday Jackson said he will be in Washington, D.C. instead. (See related story). No one will be there from the government's advertising firm either so no talks about the nuts and bolts of the contract are expected.
But Amy Atkinson, Martin PR, will fly to San Antonio to film the presentation for distribution in the San Antonio area and to NBA national shows. She said she is hoping to get a chance to talk with Duncan about his ideas for promoting the territory.
The agreement between Duncan and the government was approved late in 1999. It grants him a 100 percent tax exemption for his company, T.D. Enterprises, for 15 years in exchange for making three advertisements per year to promote V.I. tourism. The government must work around Duncan's playing schedule.
V.I. officials have been trying for some time to make the presentation of the chess set. It was designed and crafted by Brian Bishop of Crucian Gold. Made of silver and gold, the pieces are shaped as sugar mills, mocko jumbies and other V.I. icons.
