The Jacksonville Jaguars' "Stadium of the Future" is a go, as the franchise and city came to an agreement on a $1.4 billion project on Tuesday. The proposal will see each side contribute $625 million to the project and Jacksonville would chip in another $150 million to get EverBank Stadium ready for construction beginning in 2026. The team will also not include any new taxes to pay for the rebuild.
Now that the plan was presented to a city council on Tuesday, members are slated to vote on it in June with a majority of 19 members needed to pass. Then, it would advance to the NFL owners meeting in October where they'd need 24 of 32 votes to reach final approval.
With construction set to begin after the 2025 season, the Jaguars would play in front of a reduced capacity crowd in 2026 and then host home games in either Gainesville or Orlando in 2027.
The updated look of EverBank Stadium was revealed last summer, representing the next step in the team's efforts to transform downtown Jacksonville. The Jaguars plan to make the stadium four times as wide as the current one with interactive social areas and food local to the city. The stadium will include state of the art technology and a shade canopy to reduce heat retention by 70%.
Views 👀#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/RqOAwArKl2
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) June 7, 2023
As for other opportunities to improve the stadium? In announcing the stadium design last year, the franchise said the following changes will be made:
- Shade on all seats
- A 360-degree concourse
- Wider concourses
- Increased space for football operations
- Better vertical transportation
- Replace HVAC, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical systems
The Jaguars, rumored for years to be a potential relocation franchise to London, have plans to remain in Jacksonville for the long term. This new stadium would ensure they'd remain in the market for another 30 years. The franchise chose to renovate EverBank Stadium instead of building a new one once the organization concluded it was structurally possible. This redesign will also put Jacksonville in line to again host a Super Bowl, which the city hasn't done since Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005.
The Jaguars constructed a state-of-the-art, 125,000-square-foot sports performance center as part of the team's renovation plan, which was unveiled during training camp last year. The new practice facility included locker rooms, team and positional meeting rooms, training and recovery areas, medical support facilities, weight room, dining facilities, office space and a draft room. Two full-size grass practice fields and a full-size indoor practice field are also set to be a part of the new training complex.
The renovated stadium will be the centerpiece of the Jaguars' facility reconstruction, showcasing the franchise's commitment to the city.
