In 1976 plans were announced for the construction of the James L Knight International Convention Center (Hyatt Regency Hotel).
John V Griffin, who was the first state Archaeologist of Florida, led a comprehensive examination of the site.
In November 1977 the Archaeological Examination began with core samples taken across the site.
On the basis of very promising tests they soon went into Phase 2. – an archaeological salvage that took up most of 1978.
The core samples of Phase 1 had led them to the most fruitful archaeological zones.
We can see on the site map the trenches dug and areas examined.
Carbon dating of samples back to AD.200
John Griffin and his assembled team discovered, retrieved and cataloged a veritable trove of objects showing evidence of continual human activity on the river over two millennia.
