The Jaguars and the city of Jacksonville have agreed to build a $1.4 billion “stadium of the future” that will keep the team in one of the NFL’s smallest markets for another 30 years.
The idea asks each party to contribute $625 million to the $1.25 billion project. Jacksonville, which will not levy new taxes to fund the restoration, would contribute an additional $150 million to bring EverBank Stadium ready for completion in 2026. The concept was presented at a city council meeting on Tuesday. Councilmembers are likely to vote on it in late June, with a simple majority of the 19 members required for passage. It would then go to the NFL owners meeting in October, where 24 of 32 votes would be required for final ratification.
Construction would start after the 2025 season. The Jaguars would play in front of a smaller crowd in 2026, with home games held in either Gainesville or Orlando the following year. Daytona Beach International Speedway was considered, but it was later ruled out. The plan includes a 30-year lease, agreements regarding the franchise’s future in London, and a non-relocation clause. Under the new agreement, the Jaguars would play all preseason and postseason games in Jacksonville while continuing to play one home game per year in London, most likely at Wembley Stadium.
The Jaguars could play one more home game overseas every four years, but only if the NFL requires it and only during seasons when the team has nine home games; Jacksonville has worldwide marketing rights in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The sides anticipate that the renovated stadium will host more high-profile events, such as US soccer matches and concerts. Shad Khan, the Jaguars’ owner, has committed to absorb any construction cost overruns, take over day-to-day stadium operations, and bear the majority of future game-day expenses.
The 63,000-seat, open-air stadium includes a translucent covering that’s the equivalent of “wearing shades in the sun,” team president Mark Lamping said. It’s expected to lower outside temperatures by 15 degrees.
The stadium plan also includes 140% more concourse space, 190 new points of sale, 16 new escaladers, 12 new elevators and 12 new restrooms.
Capacity could be expanded to 71,500 to accommodate the annual Florida-Georgia rivalry, the Gator Bowl, a College Football Playoff game or the Final Four. Pools and a party deck would remain in the north end zone.
The city and Jaguars continue to hope for significant development in the surrounding area, including a University of Florida satellite campus that will attract 10,000 graduate students. Mayor Donna Deegan described the surrounding neighborhood as crucial to the development of downtown. The Jaguars’ lease spans until 2029. The city intends to fund its portion by transferring $600 million from a capital improvement plan and using money from an existing half-penny sales tax to support construction in a pay-as-you-go campaign. The city claims that the lease will save them $1.5 billion in debt-service expenses throughout its term.
