A Chicago couple will be moving to Tallahassee with one year’s worth of free rent. They’re the winners of Choose Tallahassee’s “Why I’d Love to Retire in Tallahassee, Florida” Contest.
On Skype Wednesday, Glenn and Loujean Nelson said they were drawn to Tallahassee because of the weather, healthcare options and college-town feel.
“Tallahassee had more than we really wanted, and one of the things above and beyond was it’s a football town," Loujean Nelson said via Skype on Wednesday. "I love college football, so bam there we were. College football and close to the coast, you can’t beat that.”
The prize is $41,000. This will cover cost for a year's worth of rent along with free meals at local restaurants and tickets to concerts and sporting events. The Nelsons plan on moving September or October.
The selection process requires finalists to submit a YouTube video saying why they want to move to Tallahassee, Choose Tallahassee Board Member Dave Bruns says.
The finalists are then interviewed via Skype by the judges to determine a winner.
Bruns says the goal of the contest is to draw more baby boomers to move to Tallahassee for retirement.
“The judges were looking for somebody who could be affective ambassadors for Tallahassee," he says. "Somebody who could help us in our mission of positioning Tallahassee as a place that people would love to come to for the best of their life, as we say.”
