Jaguars renovation deal for EverBank Stadium much better than expected
The Jaguars and the city of Jacksonville announced they have struck a renovation deal for EverBank Stadium. The agreement will keep the Jags in the city they've called home since they were founded in 1993 for 30 more years. Looking at the details, the deal is much better than originally thought.
The deal will cost $1.4 million and each side will contribute with $625 million. What's intriguing about the agreement is that residents of Jacksonville won't have to pay any extra taxes. Instead, the city will use revenue from an already existing sales tax.
Another thing to like about the deal is that it includes a non-relocation clause, ensuring that the Jaguars remain in place for the next 30 years. The agreement still needs to be approved by NFL owners, but it should have no trouble getting their blessing.
Construction will start in 2026 with the Bank having a limited capacity. They will next play in either Gainsville or Orlando in 2027. Following the announcement of the deal, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan posted this message on Twitter.
It’s with great pride and excitement that we present this historic deal. In all my town halls and community meetings both before and after I became mayor, I have been very clear about my desire to get this deal done. It’s a crucial step in the development of a thriving downtown… https://t.co/1G6bC0lrx3
— Mayor Donna Deegan (@MayorDeegan) May 14, 2024
All things considered, the deal looks like a win/win for the City of Jacksonville and the Jaguars. The former won't have to make a hefty investment to keep the Jags around while the latter won't have to go through the tedious process of relocation, which could take years. With that in mind, here are a couple takeaways.
The Jaguars are committed to staying in the City of Jacksonville
The Jaguars' efforts to remain in Jacksonville shouldn't come as a surprise. While talking heads such as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports routinely talked about the Jags relocating, it was the slimmest of the possibilities. Yet, they talked about it as if it were one of the most likely outcomes. This was odd when you take into account that owner Shad Khan has stated several times that he's committed to staying.
On top of that, Khan put his money where his mouth is. Besides investing in the areas surrounding EverBank, he oversaw the construction of Miller Electric Center. That required a substantial amount of money and he didn't hesitate to fork it out. An owner who wasn't interested in staying wouldn't have made that kind of commitment.
Having hammered a deal, there should be no doubts about the Jaguars remaining in Jacksonville. Well, except for the year in which they'll play somewhere else but they'll be back in 2028. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks, so it shouldn't be an issue.
Talks about the Jaguars playing 2 home games in London are overblown
One clause in the deal that raised eyebrows was one that allowed the Jaguars to play two home games in London. Some fans were quick to get the pitchforks out, why should the city fund a Stadium if they're going to lose two home games? But the clause came with a caveat.
It would be only every four years and only if the league deems it necessary. Also, the Jaguars would need to have nine four games that season to give up an extra one. This is to say, that if the NFL can't find teams that are willing to play overseas, they could ask the Jags to volunteer, but it's not a given that they will.
The Jaguars played two games in London last season but one counted as home and the other one as visitors. They'll once again appear in two games overseas in 2024, and once again, it will be one home, one away.
The bottom line is that not everyone will be pleased with the end result, but the Jacksonville and the Jaguars got a deal that benefits both sides.
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