Approved renovations deal bill ensures Jaguars remain in Jacksonville

The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't going anywhere. After months of negotiation, they've reached a deal for renovations at EverBank Stadium.

Nate Monroe of the Florida Times-Union broke the news that Mayor Donna Deegan and the Jags have struck a deal and will present it to the city council Tuesday. The renovations are expected to cost $1.4 billion, and as of this writing, it's uncertain how the bill will be split but the Jaguars will foot a considerable amount.

Earlier on the same day, Eugene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union said that both parties were close to getting a deal done. Frenette said in his column that he didn't see either the city of Jacksonville or the Jaguars backing out at the 11th hour, so he expected them to reach an agreement. Based on Monroe's news, they did.

Next, the NFL will need to approve the deal. That will happen in October when the owners meeting takes place. But as Frenetted pointed out, the Jaguars and Jacksonville weren't going to negotiate a bill that wouldn't get the blessing of the owners.

The Jaguars released the proposal for renovations last July. Now that the deal is done, they'll need to decide where they'll play while renovations take place. Camping World Stadium, Bell Hill Griffen Stadium, and even the Daytona International Speedway have been floated as potential options. If the Jaguars take this route, they'll have to play their home games at an alternate venue for two years.

When the organization presented the proposal, they also brought up another option in which the Jaguars could play at EverBank while it undergoes renovations. However, the renovations would last four years instead of four and it would cost $90 million more. Either way, the Jags have taken a massive step forward to ensure they remain in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars aren't going anywhere despite hearsay

It's worth noting that since Shad Khan bought the team, there has been chatter about him relocating. These conversations heated up when the Jaguars started playing a yearly game in London. The fact that they appeared in two games across the pound and are scheduled for two more in 2024 did nothing to shut down the rumors.

Having said that, the renovation deals ensure the Jaguars aren't going anywhere. Other than London, there wasn't a viable relocation spot, and Khan has made a considerable effort to keep the team in Jacksonville. It all paid off when the city gave the green light to the renovation plan.

One way to celebrate that the Jaguars are staying in Jacksonville is to bounce back in 2024. Wouldn't be great to see them seize the AFC South and make a deep playoff run in the same year the deal is ratified by the NFL owners?

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