During Tuesday evening’s city council meeting, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the city of Jacksonville jointly unveiled a framework for a deal that allocates $1.4 billion toward the renovation of the city-owned EverBank Stadium. The city would pay $775 million of the $1.4 billion of work done at the stadium, or 55% of the total cost.
“This presents our opportunity to meet a moment,” Deegan told City Council. “I believe in Jacksonville. I know you believe in Jacksonville. The Jaguars have shown they do, and I don’t believe this is time for half-measures on our part. This is the time to determine the city that we want to be.”
The Jaguars still would play home games at the stadium in the 2026 season, though the seating capacity would be reduced because of work on the stadium’s upper bowl. Then in 2027, all Jaguars home games would be played elsewhere.
Originally, the Jaguars said last summer it looked like the EverBank stadium would have to be off-limits to games in both the 2026 and 2027 seasons during renovations in order to finish the work in time for fans to see games again at the revamped stadium starting in the 2028 season.
The Jaguars have not said where they would play games in 2027. The University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin stadium in Gainesville and Camping World Stadium in Orlando are two possible venues. In response to long-running complaints from fans, the renovated stadium will have a roof that gives shade protection from the broiling sun in early-season games and shields fans from rain. It will be a fixed roof.
A “first-of-its-kind mirrored material” would wrap the stadium and double as an energy-efficient facade. The stadium would not have air conditioning, but the material used in constructing the building would cut heat retention by 70% and lower temperatures by 10 to 15 degrees, according to past presentations by the Jaguars. The renovation would open four corners of the stadium so air flows through the breezeways for circulation inside the stadium. The stadium would have capacity for 62,000 fans for Jaguars games and could expand to 71,500 seats for college football games, plus more capacity for concerts. The capacity now for Jaguars games is about 67,000 fans and that can go up to 77,000 for a college game.
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Jaguars-City Split for EverBank Stadium Renovation Cost?
The stadium renovation construction itself will cost about $1.25 billion and that will be split 50-50 between the team and the city, or $625 million apiece as per the deal unveiled.
In addition, the city will pay $150 million to make repairs on existing portions of the stadium before renovations start, ensuring the renovation retains parts of the stadium in good shape. When those expenses are all added up, the city’s total cost of the maintenance upgrades plus the new construction for the renovation comes to $775 million, or 55% of the $1.4 billion project. If the renovation has cost overruns, the Jaguars would shoulder the full cost of paying them.
In comparison, the deal for a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills had a projected cost of $1.4 billion when finalized. The state of New York put up $600 million and Erie County committed $250 million for a total taxpayer share of nearly 61% of the cost.
In an agreement with the Tennessee Titans for a new $2.1 billion stadium, the state will pay $500 million and the Metropolitan Sports Authority in Nashville will pay $760 million, so the government’s share will be 60% of the cost. The Titans and Bills also agreed to absorb the cost of any cost overruns.
Other renovations would add lighting and digital technology, dozens of elevators and escalators, wider concourses throughout and make the upper concourse circle the entire stadium. Also, as per EverBank stadium renovation deal, the Jaguars would agree to spend $150 million over the long term improving neighborhoods and affordable housing and helping residents with programs such as workforce development.
The city would match that with $150 million for work such as neighborhood development and for a series of riverfront parks from Riverside Plaza to Shipyards West and on to Metropolitan Park. Shipyards West and Metropolitan Park are in the vicinity of the sports complex and are on the same stretch of riverfront where Jaguars owner Shad Khan is building a Four Seasons Hotel and Residences. The proposal also would work on converting the flex field in the sports complex.
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