Featured image credit: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars have received unanimous backing from National Football League (NFL) team owners for their $1.4bn (£1.08bn/€1.29bn) ‘Stadium of the Future’ scheme, which is set to lock down their long-term future in the Florida city.
Following the 32-0 vote at yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) NFL Fall League Meeting in Atlanta, the project to transform EverBank Stadium will move forward as planned. The stadium transformation will commence in early 2025, with a planned grand opening in August 2028.
Jacksonville City Council in June voted 14-1 to approve the Stadium of the Future agreement, leaving yesterday’s League support as the final hurdle to overcome. In May, the Jaguars and City of Jacksonville set out the terms of the $1.4bn revamp of EverBank Stadium, stating that its financing would “compare favourably” to other major projects currently taking place in the NFL.
The project will be the largest public infrastructure investment in Jacksonville history, and the largest private investment in the history of downtown Jacksonville, with the main stadium renovation element to cost around $1.25bn, split equally between the Jaguars and the city.
In addition, the city will contribute $150m to make repairs on existing parts of the stadium before redevelopment begins. This means that, all told, the city’s full contribution will be $775m, or 55% of the total project cost. If there are cost escalations, the Jaguars will be liable for them.
Yesterday’s vote by NFL team owners also endorsed an accompanying $300m community benefits agreement, the largest in League history, which will be split 50-50 between the city and the team. When this is factored in, the total cost for the two parties will be $925m for the city and $775m for the Jaguars over the 30-year term of a new lease deal.
The Jaguars’ deal is different to those of its NFL rivals as the state of Florida has a policy of not subsidising stadium deals, meaning the City of Jacksonville is on its own for the taxpayer part of the contribution.
Future vision
The Jaguars in July said they would seek to pursue a two-year continuous renovation model for EverBank Stadium under the Stadium of the Future vision. The team earlier unveiled eye-catching conceptual designs for the project.
Highlights of the plans include a subtropical Floridian park leading fans to the main concourse, which will be elevated to 30 feet above the ground. The 360-degree concourse will be four times wider than before and will feature interactive social bars and a range of unique experiences.
The seating bowl flexibility provides for a base capacity of 62,000 with expansion capabilities up to 71,500 for college football, and more for concerts. The current fixed-seat capacity of EverBank Stadium is 68,000.
The Jaguars state the revamped stadium would be able to transform its appearance through lighting and digital technology that will create distinctive game-day experiences. Sustainability will also be a key factor, with the façade to be built with a first-of-its-kind mirrored material to reflect Jacksonville’s waterfront, vegetation and spirit.
The open-air venue will also feature a large shaded canopy that reduces heat retention by more than 70%, lowers temperatures by 10 to 15 degrees and protects fans from the weather. The façade will be raised at the northern and southern ends to optimise airflow, enabling passive cooling throughout the stadium.
Other features will include lookout decks offering citywide views, 13 new elevators and 32 new escalators, 220 new food and beverage points of sale, and 14 new restrooms.
The Jaguars’ current lease deal at EverBank Stadium, its home since 1995, was due to expire following the 2029 season. Shad Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, said in a statement yesterday: “The venue will be world-class by every definition. It will impressively serve the Jaguars and their fans, attract major sports and entertainment events to our region, and serve as an economic catalyst for decades to come.
“It also means a new and vibrant Downtown Jacksonville that once may have seemed unimaginable will indeed come to life. I am grateful to all who believed, and especially so to everyone who did the hard work to make this happen. We have much more work hard ahead, but a lot to be proud of today.”
Jacksonville’s Mayor, Donna Deegan, added: “With the vote by the NFL, Jacksonville is on the cusp of taking a huge leap forward. Not only will we soon have a world-class stadium for Jacksonville citizens to enjoy, but we are making historic investments that will transform our community, realise the dream of a vibrant downtown, and reinvigorate our riverfront.”
The Jaguars currently envision remaining in EverBank Stadium whilst work is taking place through the 2026 season, with the latter campaign involving a reduced capacity of around 43,500. The team is then set to move outside Jacksonville for the entire 2027 season, at a stadium yet to be determined.
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