Jacksonville gives go-ahead to $1.4B upgrade to Jags’ stadium

Field Level Media|published: Tue 25th June, 21:32 2024

Dec 29, 2023; Jacksonville, FL, USA; a general view of the stadium before the Gator Bowl between the Kentucky Wildcats and Clemson Tigers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Jacksonville City Council approved a $1.4 billion renovation for EverBank Stadium, home of the Jaguars, in a resounding vote Tuesday night.

The measure passed 14-1 with two abstentions. The last step is to receive approval from at least 24 of the 32 NFL team owners at the next league meetings in October.

"This is a historic day for our city," Jacksonville mayor Donna Deegan said. "As I said to the council, this is what we can do when we all row together and we focus on a goal together."

As part of the deal, dubbed by the Jaguars as the "Stadium of the Future," Jacksonville is committing $775 million to the project -- $625 million to the renovation itself and $150 million over the next two years for maintenance to prepare the stadium for construction. The Jaguars will also spend $625 million, with team owner Shad Khan on the hook for any overruns.

Crucially, the agreement also includes a 30-year lease for the Jaguars to stay in Jacksonville, kicking in once the stadium re-opens. The Jaguars would be limited to playing one home game a year in London, as they have done for several years; all other home games will be reserved for EverBank Stadium.

Construction would begin after the end of the 2025 season and conclude before the 2028 season. The Jaguars' plan calls for reduced capacity during the 2026 season, with the upper deck unavailable, before making a temporary home elsewhere for 2027.

The University of Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville and Camping World Stadium in Orlando are the Jaguars' two options for 2027.

The renovation itself calls for a similar layout to the Los Angeles Rams' and Chargers' SoFi Stadium, with a canopy hanging over every seat to keep temperatures down. Capacity would b 63,000 for Jaguars games and could be expanded to 70,000-plus for events like the annual Florida-Georgia football game and the Gator Bowl.

EverBank Stadium hosted Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005 but has not hosted a Super Bowl since.

--Field Level Media